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Dr Yang

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When I got back to the house, the royal physician was there. She was tall and thin, like most firenation people. She was older, with a shrewd face and her hair was pulled back in a severe bun. Iroh introduced me and she shook my hand in a very forthright fashion. Her name was Dr Yang. She had an exceptionally strong grip. She moved with purpose and seemed to know exactly what she was doing.

I was infinitely curious about her. I hadn't seen many different physicians or healers outside the water tribes. The northern watertribe just relied on waterbending healing, mostly. In my village there was a medicine man, but he had died when I was younger. Then there was just Gran Gran and my father who knew anything about healing. After I'd learned basic healing from Yugoda, we hadn't really had much need to see any doctors in the earth kingdom. I don't know what they would do in the earth kingdom, but I do know that fire nation medicine was very different than water tribe healing.

Yugoda had used her healing and her common sense and not much else for her whole life and it had served her well. Dr Yang had more gadgets. One of these was called a stethoscope and I was fascinated by it. She put two ends of a tube in her ears and held the flat end to various places on Zuko's chest. She made a hmmm noise and frowny face- which worried me and Iroh – she was a bit dismissive of us and said that everything was fine.

She briskly asked me to waterbend some vile looking concoction down Zuko's throat. I was a bit reluctant. Was it good for him? It looked nasty. She got a bit impatient with me, but explained quickly that it would help him recover quicker. She sighed in a long suffering tone and said perhaps I wasn't as good a healer as General Iroh thought. Oi! I was good! I snatched the vial from her and did it. Gently. I am a gentle healer after all, with a great bedside manner. Unlike Dr Yang who is a brisk, bossy know-it-all! She watched me and made a slight, almost imperceptible nod.

She'd taken off the bandage I'd put on and was rubbing something into the wound. A burn tincture made for lightning injuries from a long list of plants. She told me very matter-of-factly, but there was an underlying condescending tone- as of I was an idiot for not knowing the precise 80 different ingredients and mixing them together – which I resent slightly. She told me sun poppy poultices were the wrong thing to use for lightning burns, in much the same tone. Also I should have wrapped the bandage in a different fashion.

She did a few other things and bandaged Zuko up again (Uncle Iroh and I helped her sit him up), she checked him over once more and fussed with her gadgets. Then she stood back for a second before she leant forward and clapped loudly in his face once, which startled me. Whatever she expected to happen, hadn't happened. She clapped again – and I saw it. His eye lids fluttered! Was he going to wake up? Not yet Dr Yang said in clipped tones, but he would wake up soon. Probably tomorrow or the day after.

She sat us down and said Zuko was recovering well, which was remarkable in itself- because he should be dead. She said this so abruptly and Iroh recoiled next to me. She looked embarrassed for the tiniest fraction of a second and her face softened slightly and she tried saying in a more gentle tone. He's going to make a full recovery from the looks of things, but it will be a slow process. She outlined what she had done and what needed to be done by the two of us and left us a vast array of potions and creams and painkillers – in case he woke up early, because that lightning wound was going to hurt like hell. She said she'd be back tomorrow morning to check on us. She took her leave of Iroh, but she asked if she could speak to me outside.

-?-

She was very blunt with me, but not unkind. She was most curious about the water tribe healing. She had never come across anything like it. She said that whatever I had done had definitely saved Zuko's life because he should be dead. Goodness I wished she would stop saying he should be dead so matter-of-factly. It was distressing. She looked a little shamefaced and said yes…well ...err he should be dead, but he's not, so don't fret before continuing. She said the water tribe healing was almost miraculous – but she did not believe in miracles. She wanted to know the science behind it. I could not explain very well and said I had just used my instincts. She nodded and looked at me appraisingly.

Then she wanted to know what other training I had. She found it astonishing that I would be able to heal a lightning injury- using what she referred to as my 'powers'- but I didn't know the basic differences between various herbal medicines and tinctures. I ended up telling her the blunt truth. There seemed no reason not to. I had a grounding in local southern water tribe medicine and a knowledge of how to treat battlefield wounds from my Gran Gran and my father, and I had learned healing for a few weeks up in the North Pole. I did not know much of herbal medicines because had not been a big part of healing in the water tribes (not much grows in the snowy tundra after all and our medicines mostly derived from the animals around us). I had learned about a few things, like sun poppies and eucalyptus, during our travels. So far most of our injuries I had been able to heal with water healing. Except Jet's – I thought quietly to myself.

Dr Yang nodded and said she had thought as much. She smiled at me then. It was the first time I had seen a smile on her face. She looked like a different person when she smiled. A softer person. She said Well your healing instincts are very good. But your powers will only take you so far, after a while- you will have to know something. She asked me if I wished to learn more. I had never really thought about it. Did I want to have more medical training? I was already a fairly competent healer. So far, what I knew had sufficed. But I didn't know everything. Not even close.

I had only had such a short amount time with Yugoda – just enough to learn the basics. I had preferred to spend my time with Pakku becoming a better warrior. Most of the time I had just healed by instinct, using my knowledge and my common sense. It had normally worked out alright…. Except for when Aang had been struck by lightning and after the spirit water had saved his life and been used up, I hadn't been able to get him to wake up… except for today when I had just felt so lost and alone (before Iroh had shown up) and I'd had no idea what to do… Except for when we were under the Lake and Jet was lying there and the healing wasn't working.

Dr Yang was very business like. She said I had a remarkable gift, but if she was going to leave me in charge, I would need to learn a few things. I was being left in charge? Dr Yang said yes. I had a good basic medical knowledge and seemed adequately clever. (huh, only adequately clever? I didn't know if I was being insulted or not.) She would call in to see Zuko as often as possible, but she had a hospital full of sick people, and a crazy princess to attend to and she was the only properly trained Doctor in the entire caldera area at the moment. And because General Iroh was acting as Regent at the moment, he was going to be rather busy with other things –no matter how much the old besom would want to stay and fret. Also Dr Yang knew that he thought tea was a cure for everything, when she had already scientifically proven to him, (over and over again) that tea did not cure a vast number of diseases. From the way she talked about Uncle Iroh, I got the sense that they had been friends for a long time.

I made the most logical sense to Dr Yang, even though she didn't like leaving a teenager with so much responsibility. I got a bit stroppy and said I could handle the responsibility just fine. Of course I could take care of Zuko. She nodded in approval and walked through the house and told me to follow her. She seemed to know her way around the house. She explained that she had been the family doctor to Zuko and Azula since they were both born and she had made many many house calls, so she knew her way around.

We entered a room that had many botanical prints on the walls. Dr Yang paused at the door and then set her shoulders and strode over to the bookshelf. She took a few moments and then said yes, I knew she'd have a copy. She reached over and took out a huge book from the shelf. It was called The complete compendium of medicinal food, fungi and herbs and it was enormous. We left the room pretty quickly. It was Lady Ursa's Room and it had been left completely untouched since she had left. It gave Dr Yang the creeps to go in there. But Dr Yang reasoned that the good lady wouldn't mind if I borrowed her compendium.

We strode to the kitchen, which had the best light. Lenka was fussing over the stove and made a startled noise when we entered. She gave us a bow and returned to the stove. Dr Yang flipped through the book quickly and folded down the pages that I simply had to study and learn immediately, because they were relevant for the treatment of lightning injuries. Then she bowed at me, reiterated that she would be back in the morning (and implied that she would also check if I had studied the pages she had marked out) and strode out into the night purposefully.

I have a feeling that Dr Yang does everything, even clipping her toenails, with a great sense of purpose.

That is how purposefully she does everything.

-?-

Iroh and I had dinner together, in Zuko's room. Neither of us wanted to leave him. Especially if he was going to wake up. I told Iroh about everything Dr Yang said and how she had given me Ursa's compendium and told me to learn it and how she had left me in charge of Zuko when she and Iroh were away (because both she and Iroh would be busy). I left out the part about tea obsession to be diplomatic. Iroh nodded, but said he was going to stay by Zuko until he had woken up. All that Regent stuff could wait, as far as Iroh was concerned. He wasn't leaving.

It was then that I noticed that the servants had set up another small camp bed in the room, but only one. And I could hazard a guess that I was not the person it was meant for. Iroh explained that he had one of the spare bedrooms made up for me.

Oh.

He'd stay by Zuko all night, but I looked all done in (he said this gently – but it must have been true. I haven't gotten much sleep since Zuko got shot after all) and I could probably use a decent sleep. I could, I knew I could. But still. I didn't want to make things awkward, but I didn't want to leave either. What if Zuko woke up and I wasn't here. I'd promised him I wouldn't leave. Iroh said that if Zuko made a peep, he'd send for me. But Dr Yang was right, he probably wouldn't wake til tomorrow at the earliest.

Lenka came to clean up the plates and Iroh asked her if she would come back to show me to my room when she was done. I still didn't know my way around the house very well. I have pretty much just stayed in this one room with Zuko, which is unusual for me. Normally I love a good snoop. She came back and bowed and then waited shyly outside for me to take my leave.

I got up and went and sat by Zuko for a second to say goodnight. I took his hand in mine and told him goodnight and that I would be back to see him in the morning. Then the most remarkable thing happened. His hand very gently squeezed mine in response. I got most excited because I thought he was waking up again. I called Iroh over and he got most excited too. We were both probably a bit too eager and may have over-reacted. But we each grabbed a hand and tried to get him to do it again. We tried for a little while, but he did not. I felt the same ridiculous disappointment that I had felt yesterday, but I didn't cry this time.

Instead I said goodnight to Iroh and followed Lenka to my room. She was blushing and nervously babbling. She and the girls had put some flowers in my room and lit a fire and aired it out and tried to make it nice, but if I needed anything just ask. She just seemed so nervous and she kept milady-ing me and bowing after everything she said. I asked her why I made her so nervous? Because it was just weird how shy she and the other serving girls were around me. I'm nice, I really am – I told her. I not use to making people feel so ill at ease.

She blushed and giggled and said she didn't want to offend me (apologetically). Then she added that she'd never seen a water tribe person before. But in school they get taught how barbaric the water tribes were. Then she seemed to look a little dismayed at what she said and added not that I am saying that you are barbaric. You are nice. But it's so weird - meeting a watertribe lady. She kept trying to 'make it better' but I waved her off and told her it was fine and I understood what she was trying to say and meeting firenation people was a little weird for me too sometimes. She smiled, blushed, giggled, curtsied and milady-ied, then she took her leave at a quick scamper.

The room had been made very nice. There was a huge bunch of jasmine flowers in a vase on the table, which gave the room a sweet smell. There was a fire in the grate and the bed had been made. I lit some candles to give me some reading light and settled into the softest bed I have ever come across. I read the compendium pages Dr Yang had marked out until I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

-?-

In the morning I went straight to Zuko's room. Iroh was there and together we had some breakfast and resumed our regular positions, sitting on either side of the bed. I followed my routine during the morning, I healed for half an hour and then rested. Iroh and I talked to each other and to Zuko. Iroh was determined to stay around the clock until Zuko woke up. I think he needed to see him awake and to talk to him for himself – just to reassure himself that Zuko was going to make it. I understood that feeling exactly.

In mid morning we were visited by Dr Yang. She had seen Azula last night and had given her something to 'calm her down' and had managed to get her to eat something. She checked over Zuko again and confirmed that everything seemed fine- aside from the huge lightning hole in him, that is. I was due to do another healing session and so I demonstrated this for Dr Yang. This was the first time she had ever seen such a display and she watched with rapt attention. I found it easier to explain how healing worked when I was actually doing it. Dr Yang nodded along as I informed her of what I trying to get the water to do. Once, she muttered amazing to herself, but I don't know if I was meant to hear or not. But still, the fact that I could amaze her made me glow a little inside with pride. Dr Yang left to go back to the hospital, but we were to send for her instantly if there was any change.

-?-

Sometime later there was a tapping at the window and the same disgruntled messenger hawk was back, with a reply from Sokka. Sokka's letter was also short and sweet, clearly written in a hurry because his writing was super messy, even for Sokka.

Katara

Oh bloody hell! Is Zuko Okay! Are you Okay! Dad is fixing the airship and we will come to you as soon as possible. Yeah! Dad found me! He is sending you all his love and a lot of worries! He is really worried about you! He is like the most worried man in the history of ever! Also Dad wants to know what's wrong with Zuko so he can be a ninja nurse over letters and worry about that too!

So many shenanigans have happened and I have so much to tell you!

Love Sokka.

-?-

I sent back:

Sokka

Calm down – everything is okay. I am fine! Zuko got struck by lightning (no jokes about this ever!), but he's okay now. He hasn't woken up yet, but Dr Yang thinks he will soon. But he is going to be fine. Anyway, we are doing okay here. Iroh arrived and he's been great. He's fixing all the firenationy political things. There are servants to cook for us and clean for us and Dr Yang (she's the royal physican) and I are both doing our best for Zuko. Dad doesn't need to worry about back seat doctoring because Dr Yang has that covered.

Give my love to all the others and to Dad.

Love Katara

-?-

Iroh suggested we play Pai Sho to pass the time while we waited for Zuko to wake up (as neither of us were leaving before this had happened). It seemed like as good a suggestion as any. I didn't know anything at all about how to play, but Iroh relished the chance to teach me. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation of a new pai sho opponent. We set the board up at one end of the enormous bed – so neither of us had to move too far away from Zuko.

It was a ridiculously complicated game. My brain can only handle so much new information at a time and it was already full of new herbal info from last night. So I had to have the rules explained to me several times. I had a lot of other stuff on my mind. I can't be expected to be good at everything now can I? Iroh was a very patient teacher and didn't mind explaining the rules repeatedly. I kept forgetting which tiles were harmonious and which tiles just hated eachother. The flower tiles all look quite similar and I kept getting them confused. I favoured the boat tile – forsaking all other tiles for it, even though Iroh would tell me that the boat tile could not do everything. But even all of Iroh's patient teaching and 'suggestions' didn't save me from losing game after game.

Iroh told me not to worry, it was an exceptionally difficult game and I was only just learning. Zuko was still crap at it and Iroh had been trying to teach him since he was twelve. Though Iroh confessed that these games rarely ever got played to their completion because usually after about half way, Zuko would get really frustrated, have a small tantrum (during which a tile may or may not be thrown) and stomp off. I smiled. That did sound like a Zuko thing to do. It is amazing the things you find endearing when you are completely smitten with somebody.

We continued to play throughout the day. We had lunch, I healed and then I changed Zuko's dressing and rubbed some of the tincture Dr Yang left in, and then we resumed playing. Whenever I made a really stupid, ill thought out move and realized it just a second too late – I would claim Zuko was psychically guiding me and that's why I sucked at this game. This seemed to amuse Iroh and he chuckled to himself. It turns out Zuko's psychic guidance could not stop my rhododendrons from annoying the lilies (or whatever those tiles were).

It was quite late in the day. It was after dinner, and the sky had gotten dark and all the lamps had been lit when it happened. I was claiming "psychic interference" again when we were interrupted by a soft, raspy voice from the other end of the bed, saying with some confusion you can't be blaming that on me. Zuko was awake! He was watching us with a slight smile on his face.

Oh my goodness!

Suddenly there was a great deal of commotion as both me and Iroh hastened to fuss over him simultaneously. We descended like this big cloud of worry and concern and just fuss. We both kept talking over each other in our excitement. How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Are you hurt? Here drink this! The vile smelling pain-killer was thrust at Zuko, the Pai Sho board was flipped over, servants were called and Dr Yang was sent for and there was much calamity and ado.

I hugged him, then Iroh hugged him and Zuko waved us off with pained bafflement. The barrage of affection and worry had been rather intense for someone who had just woken up after being unconscious for almost three days. Both Iroh and I tried to calm down a notch. Zuko looked really confused and asked what happened? I told him he'd gotten shot with lightning. This seemed to really surprise him. I did? He asked with his eyes wide. Then he seemed to notice the bandage all around his middle and he poked it curiously. Right in the centre of where he got shot. He swore explosively in pain. I grabbed his hand and said don't poke it, you idiot affectionately.

He smiled but it quickly turned into a grimace and he lay back, closed his eyes and swore again and added wow, this really friggin hurts. Iroh proffered the painkiller for him and got most worried that Zuko would need some soup to wash it down with because it would taste nasty and he hadn't eaten in three days and he would be starving. Uncle hastened out to call Lenka and start the supply of soup coming.

Zuko downed the painkiller in one shot and made a disgusted face. He said Uncle's right. That does taste awful to me. I think I must have been looking at him with rather a rapt expression on my face. Only because he was awake and he was talking and I was just so excited. He said Oh you're staring at me – I must look really bad. He seemed a bit embarrassed. Mostly I think because I really was staring at him rather intensely and had moved my face right up close to get a better look. But Zuko has never liked being stared at intensely, so this was probably not the time to start doing that. I forced myself to move back and give him some room. I told him he looked great, which was a lie and we both knew it. He looked like he'd been sat on by a komodo rhino – just flat and washed out – but he was alive! He was awake! He was talking.

I have never seen anything more wonderful in my whole life.

I couldn't contain myself. I gave him another hug – a gentle one just around his shoulders – so I avoided knocking his wound. But I held him close and murmured that I was so glad he was alright against his hair. His arms came around me and he hugged me back. We stayed like that until Iroh bustled in, with Lenka behind him – with a series of trays.

There was possibly the entire contents of the kitchen collected on the trays. Anything Zuko might possibly want. There was soup, tea, some baked goods and fireflakes. Zuko opted for some soup with fireflakes sprinkled all though it, but he wasn't up to eating much. He struggled with every swallow. But Iroh and I were quite insistent that he eat something, because he hadn't had anything for three days. There was a bit of grumbling, but he gave it a good effort and made it through half the bowl before giving up.

Dr Yang hurried in, out of breath. She gave Zuko a check over, asked him how he felt etc. Like I'm been run over by a tank, eaten by a platypusbear and buried in a landslide was the answer. Dr Yang raised an eyebrow in amusement and said that good eh? She got him to drink something else and apparently it tasted worse than the painkiller.

She asked all the doctor-y sort of questions and continued her examination. But when she got up to did he remember what happened? as the stethoscope came out again- I found myself holding my breath in anticipation. Did he? He seemed a bit dopey at the moment, but he'd only just woken up after all, but did he remember? Did he remember what I said? Zuko thought for a second and said no, he didn't really. It's all scrambled. Dr Yang nodded and checked his heart beat and said that was probably for the best. He probably wouldn't want to remember something like that – she said with a soft smile. Then she got him to cough and the conversation moved on. How was his breathing? Etc.

He didn't remember anything? Really? How could he not remember? I had said the most important thing ever to him and how could he just forget it? He'd been awake. I know he heard me. My feelings were a whir of confusion as Dr Yang finished up.

Eventually she pronounced herself satisfied. She stood back and announced to Zuko you should make a full recovery…amazingly. But she had a few stipulations. Most important was that Zuko had to take it easy. She knew what he was like, but this time she really meant it. No funny business. Just rest. She put him on very strict bed rest for the next week. Zuko gulped and there was mild protesting. He'd go crazy on bed rest for a week.

She said she knew that, but if he wanted to make a full recovery, he would have to take this time to relax and let his body repair. He made a scowl-y face. Zuko hates being cooped up, I know from experience. He was a most difficult patient back at the Western Air Temple and he'd only been conscious of his surroundings for two of those days he was sick. I couldn't imagine how he'd be after a whole week. Dr Yang said she'd leave me in charge of enforcing the bed rest. Zuko said instantly and without thinking but Katara'll be even stricter than you! His brain-to-mouth filter must be especially faulty today because he looked a bit surprised that he had actually said that out loud and flashed me an apologetic look. Dr Yang said that was exactly why she'd chosen me. Dr Yang had a few more stipulations, he had to take his medicine, get plenty of rest, drink lots of coconut water etc.

Then she asked me to follow her, because she had a few things to show me. I wanted to stay while Zuko was awake, but Uncle seemed to want to speak to him alone. So I went to follow Dr Yang. As I got to the door, Zuko called out my name. I turned around, he was looking really worried. He asked you're coming back, aren't you? He looked so worried that I wandered back over and gave his hair a ruffle and I smiled as reassuringly as I could at him. I told him that of course I was coming back. Then I turned to go again, but I made sure I gave him a small wave as I left.

-?-

Dr Yang was in the kitchen. She wanted to show me how to mix up both a general painkiller (that was much stronger than sun poppy tea) and the vile concoction she said would help Zuko build his strength back up. She'd written out the recipes for me, but she also wanted to demonstrate it for me to make sure I had got it. Both of these potions needed to be made fresh and as she wouldn't be here all the time and neither would General Iroh after today – I'd need to know how to make these two. He'd need the strengthening concoction four times a day – three times with a meal and once before bed. He could have the painkiller whenever he wanted for this first week. These two, combined with my powers would really help the healing process. She still referred to the waterbending healing as my powers, as though they were this magical, mystical thing.

She drilled me on the pages she had me read, but I was a bit sketchy on the details. She frowned but didn't say anything. However I could feel her disapproval. The conversation turned back to Zuko and she warned me that he would probably be a bit dotty for a few days. Forgetful, or fuzzy on the details and he might not be able to catch the whole conversation and I might have to tell him things a few times before he'd remember. Also I shouldn't just believe him if he says he's taken his medicine because he might not be remembering properly and I'd have to watch him to make sure he did it.

I asked if this was why he couldn't remember what happened. She said memory loss and being a bit loopy were both common with high trauma injuries. Normally everything settled down after a few days. People seemed to snap back to normal, mentally, at least, after the body began to properly heal and recover. With my powers that would be even sooner for Zuko. So will he remember everything that happened after a few days? I couldn't help but ask. Dr Yang shrugged. She said it was impossible to tell and every case was different. He might, but it was much more likely that he wouldn't. Most people didn't remember. She looked at me quizzically and then she added gently I think it is the brain's wave of protecting us, personally – who would want to remember something that painful.

I had to agree that she was probably right.

-?-

Dr Yang and I had been away for quite sometime. By the time she had left to go back to the hospital it was past midnight. I went straight back to Zuko, but he was sound asleep. Uncle was dozing in a chair next to the bed. I gently woke Uncle (who was a bit startled) and offered to stay with Zuko tonight. But Uncle wanted to again. It was reasonable I guess. Uncle was Zuko's family after all. I shouldn't feel put out. I guess I was just so used to having Zuko all to myself that it was a bit jarring to have to share him now, even if I was sharing him with Uncle.

-?-

In the morning I went back down to the room. Uncle was sitting by Zuko, who was sitting up and leaning back on a massive pile of pillows. Their voices were low in conversation. As soon as I entered he looked up and just had the biggest smile on his face. He said hi Katara with as much enthusiasm and strength as he seemed to have. He was still looking ill and washed out, but he had a little more colour than yesterday. I went and sat by him and smiled back and said Hi Yourself and we grinned at each other. He said hi again, probably on account of post lightning dottiness, and I humored him and said hi back. We did this twice more before Uncle said Okay Bye.

Uncle had things, complicated firenationy political things, that he needed to attend to. He had been putting off for a few days now, because staying with Zuko had been more important to him. But now that Zuko was awake and talking and obviously going to recover, Iroh had to go 'fix' the country a little. But he was leaving Zuko in my capable hands.

After Iroh had left and it was just me and Zuko, I climbed up next to him on the bed. I hadn't been as snuggly with him when Iroh and Dr Yang were around because I'd felt a bit weird about it, but now everyone else was gone and it was just the two of us again. He leaned his head on my shoulder and I leaned on his head. I felt like I should say something, but I felt really awkward now. Probably because I had told him I loved him when I thought he was dying and now I wasn't sure if he remembered or not. It didn't seem like he did. It was most frustrating.

I could say it again.

I could.

No… I couldn't.

It was just too embarrassing now. Now that he was awake and conscious and not dying, I just couldn't find the courage. Or if I could, I would only be able to say it once. Knowing my luck, I would say it and that would be when Zuko's loopy-lightning-brain would kick in and I would have to repeat myself eight times before it set in… and then I would just have to die of humiliation. If he remembered – we could talk about it, but I didn't want to bring up the subject myself.

So I didn't say anything about love, but instead I said something practical. I asked how he was feeling. He wasn't feeling very good. He said it simply and didn't even try putting on a brave face, so I know he's feeling exceptionally lousy. I got up and made him some of Dr Yang's painkiller and he drank it all. I got Lenka to make us some breakfast. I offered her many suggestions and constructive criticism on the breakfast front, because I wanted to make sure her cooking was adequate for Zuko. Just normal suggestions like he hated things that were too salty, so she should go easy on the salt etc. He ate half of his and then I made him have the second potion afterwards. Just eating breakfast and having a bit of conversation seemed to tire him out and he fell back asleep again pretty quickly. I tell myself it is for the best. He needs his sleep after all.

-?-

Next time he woke up was mid morning. I had gotten my compendium and was studying Dr Yang's pages again, when he started muttering and tossing about fretfully like he was having a really bad dream. I shook him awake and for a second his eyes were wide and frightened. I smoothed his hair back from his face and told him he was safe and I was here. After a second he seemed to calm down. He thanked me quietly. I said he was welcome off-hand. It wasn't a big deal. Everyone has bad dreams.

Zuko thanked me twice more, before I told him there was no more need for more thank yous. He said he had to thank me at least a million times for everything. He said Uncle told me what you did when I got shot. Uncle told him. I just had to ask, so I said You really don't remember what happened? He shook his head and said it was all a massive blur. I asked him what the last thing was he clearly remembered and he thought hard for a second. Ummm we fed Appa and we walked back to the coronation Plaza, Azula was …. He trailed off and then his eyes widened in worry. He asked was Azula talking to my mum? I told him that Azula had been hallucinating their mother before they fought their Agni Kai simply. He nodded and seemed to digest that. He asked quietly how is she? in almost the same tone Azula had used the other day.

I told him that she was not herself, but Uncle was making sure she was looked after. I am actually not sure about the last part, but I imagine Uncle would. I knew Dr Yang had been visiting her. Anyway, I was trying to comfort Zuko and telling him Azula was somewhere safe and being looked after and watched around the clock seemed to assuage him.

So that is my line and I am sticking to it.

-?-

He drifted in and out of sleep during the day. I sat next to him on the bed and flicked through the pages while I waited for him to wake up again. Sometimes I just watched him sleep and didn't really concentrate on the book. I couldn't believe he was awake and talking. I could talk to him whenever I wanted now – I didn't have to have a horrible heart-wrenching wait. But I shouldn't just poke him and wake him- just so I could talk to him. He really did need his sleep. I waited patiently until lunchtime and then I just poked him anyway. I tell myself I did this so I could feed him.

We had lunch and he noticed the compendium. I told him about Dr Yang lending it to me. I was actually finding it pretty interesting. I'd read beyond my prescribed pages and had started at the front cover. Some of the plants had rather cheeky or misleading names. There was actually a plant called arse-smart, which was used to help treat ulcers. When I first read it I thought it said smart arse – this gave me a great deal of amusement. Zuko said teasingly it would be a good plant for me, because I was an arsesmart smart-arse. This gave him a lot of amusement – but not too much because it hurt him to laugh. He winced in pain.

I said it served him right for being cheeky and told him that he was definitely the smart-arse out of the two of us. Still I couldn't help fussing over him worriedly. I fussed and got him some painkiller and some tea and then I fussed some more. To the point where he said oh stop fussing will you – with a great deal of affection. He wanted to know what other cheeky plants there were and I indulged him. More laughter ensued. Inevitably followed by more pained faces from Zuko and more fussing from me.

-?-

Then it came time to do a healing session. This was the first one he was awake for. I gently took the bandage off. He was so stiff and even stretching and sitting up made him wince. I had him lie down completely flat. We looked at each other for a long moment, while I was running my hands around the big hole in his chest.

He asked quietly – is it really that bad? Apparently I was making a dismayed face whenever I looked at it. I think it will become our code word for this new scar. I schooled my expression and tried smiling and said it was fine. He turned his face away and said you don't need to lie to me with some bitterness. I confessed gently that I was sorry, it was going to be a really big scar and I hadn't been able to stop it from scarring. He nodded but didn't turn his face back around. I was very quick to add that it wasn't a bad scar. It was big yes, but it wasn't ugly or anything. I just didn't like looking at it, because it reminded me.

All of a sudden – all these words tumbled out. Words that I hadn't meant to say, but once I started I couldn't stop. I told him that I'd been so scared. I'd thought that he was dying and it had been horrible and whenever I looked at the scar I thought about that. That's why I looked dismayed. Not for any other reason.

I was getting upset. I felt the tears close to the surface. God I am just an emotional mess right now. Just whenever I think about what nearly happened I get a little teary. I stopped healing and covered my face – just for a second. I just needed a moment. I heard a groaning noise and then I felt his warm arms come around me. Zuko had sat up (with some degree of difficulty) and hugged me. He told me it was okay, everything was okay. I was okay now, he was okay(-ish). He didn't want me to cry. Everything was going to be fine. I hadn't quite believed it until right then, with him hugging me and talking to me and soothing me. We held each other for a while, until he made a pained noise. He said (almost sheepishly) that he was okay, it was just that it was hurting again.

-?-

It was time for him to have another vile concoction. He hated the concoction and made a face after drinking it that was most comical. Then he said Agni this tastes revolting. I said, without thinking – (oh no, is lightning brain catching?) Probably because it has raw fish livers in it.

Zuko made a rather revolted face. But then his eyes lit up with understanding and he said oh I get it. Fish livers is probably a name of some flower in that book of yours. You're just trying to trick me. Last night, I had a rather gruesome but very instructive half an hour watching Dr Yang make the stuff. It was at this juncture that I faced a choice. Between telling Zuko what really went into the vile concoction and then having to struggle and squabble forevermore to get him to drink it. Or I could choose a different but much easier path. I opted for option two and said it is a flower- you're too wily for me.

-?-

0o0o0o0


the ramblings:

Lovely wonderful readers! Huge thank you to all my brilliant wonderful and fabulous reviewers! You guys know I love ya! Because so many reviews urged me to update soon, I got cracking on this chapter pretty quickly. It ended up being exceptionally and horribly long, so I have divided it into bits for your reading pleasure and to make it a bit easier.

So this chapter deals with the different sort of medicines in the Avatar world and introduces the royal physician- Dr Yang. I think this series needed more badass older ladies and so the Royal Physician is one. Katara finds her to be a bossy, know-it-all at first (sound like anyone else we know?) but she warms to her as she gets to know her. I think Dr Yang is a brilliant doctor and a nice person underneath. She has a great mind, but she doesn't have great interpersonal skills or a good bedside manner. She is blunt, but she is efficient.

I think she would see Katara's potential to be a great physician. She sees that Katara has good instincts and a good mind and so she wants to teach her a little more. Both for her sake and also because it is practical. Dr Yang is only one person and she has a lot of her plate right now and cannot tend Zuko around the clock – but she sees that Katara is more than willing and capable and just needs a little more knowledge.

Azula calls her the "family physician", not the "royal physician" – but I think royal physician would have once been her title. She has treated Zuko and Azula since they were kids, so she is very invested in their health. She probably got to see Zuko more, on account of him having more "accidents" as a kid. In my imagination, she is a contemporary of Iroh's and they are good friends. I also think that she has time for Azula and was one of the few positive female role models that the girl had after her mother left.

In my head canon Ozai would have dismissed her from her position at the palace not long after banishing Zuko (Dr Yang would have been the physician who treated him initially post his first agni kai). Ozai would have claimed it was because there was little need for an official 'royal' physician with only he and Azula at the palace. Dr Yang would have been more useful at the hospital etc. Really I think he would have been worried about anyone else having too much sway and influence over Azula. I think Azula would have sought Dr Yang out over things that didn't really need medical attention – just for the company. This would have worried Ozai. In the agni kai chapter, Katara mused that any doctor willing to take on Azula – in her current state- as a patient would have to have balls of steel. Dr Yang has 'em, but she also has affection for Azula and memories of how she was as a child – which helps her feel more compassion for Azula.

Anyway I think that firenation medicine would probably be similar to western medicine. It would be scientifically based. In the avatar world, the firenation is a bit more advanced technology wise and a bit backward spirituality-wise. Water healing to me, seems on par with alternative therapies and eastern medicine. There is a great emphasis on chi flow and other intangible things etc. I think that water-tribe healing would very much emphasise the mind-body-spirit connection, where as firenation medicine would focus mostly on healing the physical body. So there is a big difference in how they both approach medical problems.

Water tribe healing cannot solve all problems – it's good, but it is not a cure all. There have been a few things in the series that Katara couldn't fix or needed a lot of time to fix. Yugoda and the other healers couldn't save baby Yue on their own and needed the moon spirit etc. So I don't think it is the be all and end all of healing, despite its many advantages and almost magical quality. If Katara can't heal someone, it doesn't mean they can't be saved *cough* like Jet *cough* oh just you guys wait! *more coughing.*

Katara is a great healer, and she has good instincts, but she does not know everything. It's not possible for her to know everything. She's only 15 – I just don't think it is feasible to think that she could completely master healing and waterbending in the time she was at the North Pole. When push came to shove, she very obviously chose learning combative waterbending over healing. I still think she is a great healer, mind. She is obviously a bit of a prodigy on that front, hence being able to heal her hands before she has had any healing training what so ever. But I think she has a lot to learn still when it comes to medicine.

At the same time Dr Yang has never seen anything like waterbending healing before and she is absolutely fascinated by it. She knows it was instrumental in saving Zuko and she does see it as a valuable thing, but she doesn't understand it. She has such a scientific brain, she wants to know how it works. Katara just does healing innately, so she finds it hard to explain the science – thus making waterbending healing a very mystical and mysterious thing to Dr Yang. Because she doesn't understand it very well, she tries to dismiss it a little and thinks her scientific firenation approach is superior.

Anyway all this is a long way of saying that it is the combination of both water tribe healing and firenation medicine that helps Zuko recover so quickly. And Katara and Dr Yang have a lot that they can learn from each other. Katara has already started learning from Dr Yang - because she's such an arse-smart. *arse-smart is a real plant and was once used to treat ulcers – so there you go. Random fact for the day.

So Zuko wakes up in this chapter to the two people he loves the most arguing over pai sho – and then gets hit by a barrage of their affection and concern. He cannot remember being shot by Azula or what happened afterwards just yet. It is all a bit scrambled for him. Some of you guessed I would go this route, you clever readers! Sorry my lovelies! But it just makes sense for me that he wouldn't be able to remember. It is very common for people with high trauma injuries to blank out what happened, or for their memory to be a bit fried. So Zuko currently can't remember. It doesn't mean that he wont remember further down the track – it just means that it's all a big blur for him at the moment. However the fact that he doesn't remember makes Katara most hesitant to tell him she loves him again. She really put herself out there and got nothing! Also it really is a very different situation, to tell someone you love them when they are awake and conscious and can reject you. Katara is still a bit scared to take that chance, and I think Zuko is as well. They both value their friendship with the other too much and are still a little reluctant to jeopardise that if there is a chance the other person does not reciprocate their feelings. So no smoochies this chapter, sorry about that.

But there is snuggling again. I think that Katara would feel a bit weird about being as snugly as she always is with Zuko in front of other people, like Iroh and Dr Yang. As soon as they go, she resumes her snuggling. But she doesn't snuggle in front of them. This ties into what I think would be a big issue for Zuko and Katara. What would other people think? Lets face it, their countries were very recently at total war with each other, and they will both be very prominent members of their respective communities. What would people think of them together will be something that they both take into consideration, but we will see this more in the coming chapters.

One of the key issues in this is race relations and the perceptions and misconceptions both the firenation and the watertribe have of each other. Think of the Gaang's attitude to the firenation before they actually went there. They assumed it would be full of evil, bloodthirsty people. When they got there this perception changed, but it took actually experiencing and meeting normal firenation people for this to happen. In the firenation I think they would have been taught how superior the firenation was etc. Zuko alludes to this is his speech to his father in the Day of Black Sun. They are very much taught to believe in their own superiority. That implies that they are also taught that other races are inherently inferior and backwards. Barbaric even. Because the other nations are less technologically advanced, when soldiers go out into the wider world this perception gets re-inforced. They then take their experiences home and tell all their mates and the misconception becomes truth. Lenka and the other maids have never seen a water tribe person before and they believe all the misconceptions about the barbarous water tribes. They are very nervous around Katara because of this, but she is not what they have been taught to expect. She is not a barbarian, she is an articulate, clever and friendly girl. Slowly their perceptions of Katara and the water tribes will change, but it will take interacting with her a fair bit for this process to start to happen.

What this means for Zuko and Katara is that when they get together- they will be up against this barrage of racial misconceptions and that sort of thing can be immensely frustrating/heartbreaking to deal with. The firenation will think Zuko has taken up with a barbarian. They may even think that Katara is some sort of 'war trophy' etc (that idea would especially hurt both of them, I think). For Katara, the watertribes will see it as her hoping into bed with the oppressor, colluding with the enemy, betraying her tribe etc. To find out how they both will deal with that, you will have to wait a little longer – as it is not for several chapters.

Anyway last chapter I promised you Hakoda. He was in this one, but this chapter grew to exceptionally large proportions and now he is in the third part. So you will have to wait a little bit longer. But we will hear what he has been up to next chapter when Katara gets a letter. Also next chapter will be the main part of Zuko's week of enforced bed rest and a terribly, horribly, ridiculously embarrassing event.

Til then my lovelies!