Chapter Twenty-Two

Stronger Together

"Katara?" Zuko appeared from the shadows, a look of concern and confusion dancing behind his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I know where she is, Zuko," Katara paused, "I know where to find your mom."

~/~

Zuko didn't know what to say or how to even feel. He stood there, lungs constricting as he stared into the face of the woman he loved. He'd heard what she said, but his brain couldn't process the information. It was like someone clipped the cord to his frontal lobe, inhibiting him from forming words to produce speech. How could she possibly know where my mother is, he thought. She wouldn't have kept this secret from me. It wasn't a betrayal… Katara was not capable of such deceit, nor would she ever do that to him. He trusted her with his life.

"How could you possibly know where the former queen is?" Ju-long bit out as he appeared at their side. The knife was still clutched in his fist, blood dripping from the sharpest point.

Katara's sapphire gaze held Zuko in a trance. He couldn't look away from her, nor could she seem to break eye contact to acknowledge Ju-long's question. Instead, Katara reached out, gently taking hold of Zuko's wrists. "I was worried," she said in a quiet tone. "I thought there might be another way to extract the information you wanted without violence so I took a chance."

Zuko's eyebrows lowered over his eyes; a frown knitting his brow. "What are you saying, Katara?"

"I'm saying," she paused, wetting her lower lip, "that I went to see Azula."

"Impossible!" Ju-long spat. "The former princess is locked away in Boiling Rock. Only high-ranking officials have permission to step foot inside the facility."

"General Iroh accompanied me," Katara told him. She finally broke eye contact with Zuko, turning her cold-water gaze on Ju-long. He regarded that look as a challenge.

From the darkness, Meili began to laugh. Her head lulled to her chest, shoulders heaving as the laugh grew to a manic decimal. "Azula would never betray Lord Ozai. You lie, Water scum," the insult left through Meili's clenched teeth.

With an elegant air of confidence, Katara replied, "Azula has been undergoing mental health treatment since the end of the war. She's come a long way and her doctors believe that in time she will be able to rejoin society. Azula would like nothing more than to see her mother again."

Darkness clouded Meili's features. She tried to cover her slip-up by straightening in her chair and defiantly lifting her chin, but it was too late… Katara had seen the shadow pass over her face as panic pooled in her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Zuko asked, eyebrows knitting even deeper.

"It was a last-minute idea," Katara confessed. "I came to see you, but I was told by the guards that no one was allowed to enter the chamber. I decided to ask General Iroh for help instead."

Zuko worked his jaw in silence as several thoughts darted through his mind. The first being that Azula had lied to him about their mother's death–she'd known that Ursa was alive this entire time and hadn't told him. The second thought, however more disconcerting, was the fact that he wouldn't have considered seeking out Azula's help. Katara was his equal in so many ways, and yet entirely his opposite. She thrived where he showed faults, bringing light to his darkness. The corner of his mouth lifted, peeling back the mask of the Fire Lord until for a moment he was just Zuko: the man who had found his soul's counterpart.

"You're not mad?" Katara ventured to ask in a quiet tone.

"No," he said, "I'm not mad." He turned to face his captain and set the mask of the Fire Lord back in place. "Escort the prisoner back to her cell. Her services are no longer required."

"No!" Meili said from her chair. "No, you can't take me back there. I refuse to spend the rest of my life rotting in some dank prison cell. Kill me!" she begged. "You've grown soft, Zuko. You're ruling is an abomination to everything the Fire Nation once stood for! Look at you! You've broken every tradition. You're courting a Water Tribe commoner for Ancestors sake! The people won't stand for this. They'll never accept her–she'll never be a queen!"

Zuko's temper flared with the heat of a thousand suns. He could feel the fire in his veins turning to acid as his vision burned red at the corners. He was in front of her in the pulse of a second, hand going around her neck and squeezing the life from her lungs. His mouth twisted as he glared at her; the force in which he had her by the throat pushing her back on the chair until the front two legs lifted from the ground.

Shock and surprise flitted across Meili's features until a smile crawled across her face. A strangulated sound escaped her throat in what was meant to be a laugh.

Zuko released the pressure on her throat but his anger had not dissipated. "Your existence is poison," he grated out. "You will spend the rest of your days alone with your madness, and you will watch the world rise to acceptance. This is the dawn of a new era, and I'm heralding it in with Katara by my side." He let go–dust billowing from the ground as the chair legs slammed back in place. "Captain, escort her to her cell."

Ju-long didn't hesitate.

Zuko returned to Katara's side, his hand pressing to her lower back as he ushered her out of the chamber and listened to the sound of Meili's manic laughter fading behind them.

~xXx~

The sun was hot on Katara's back as they ventured through the gardens. She'd looped her arm through Zuko's, hugging his arm to her side. She'd just finished telling him about her little spontaneous trip to see Azula and Zuko remained quiet, seemingly digesting the information.

"We don't know if she was telling the truth," Zuko said as they walked along a wooden bridge that stretched above a serene pond decorated with water lilies. They stopped walking and Zuko leaned heavily against the railing, peering at the pond below. "Azula doesn't exactly have a reputation of being honest."

"She seems different, Zuko… changed, maybe." Katara shrugged. She knew it didn't mean much considering all the hell the girl had put them both through over the years, but even General Iroh believed there had been truth to her tale.

"Was she surprised to see you?"

Katara's eyebrows lifted considerably high on her forehead. "It's hard to tell with Azula. She said, and I quote, 'well, if it isn't the girl who left me frozen to a drainage grate and the man I once called Uncle'," Katara finished. "Her prison cell is a luxurious suite, as I'm sure you're aware, and despite her serving out a sentence, I'd say she still regards herself as a princess."

Zuko chuckled. "I keep tabs on her health but I admit I haven't seen her in quite some time. I haven't been able to forgive her, Katara…" His fingers tightened on the railing as his gaze dropped to the glittering surface of the pond. "And to think this whole time she's kept me in the dark about our mother." Zuko shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever be able to trust her."

"She was angry with you," Katara said. "It's not an excuse, but all Azula has ever known is anger…" Katara picked at a piece of wood that had splintered from the railing and let it drop into the water without a sound.

"I still can't believe my mother has been here in the Fire Nation–practically right under my nose. Hira'a is only a couple of day's travel from here. The war has been over for two years… She could have come back. I don't understand what reasons she's had for staying away." Zuko turned his troubled gaze on Katara and his eyebrows contorted heavily. "Unless she fears that I've somehow become my father."

"No," Katara said, immediately covering the back of his hand with her palm. "There's a reason she didn't come back and it has nothing to do with you, Zuko." Katara paused, sucking in a great breath. "Azula told me that Ursa's banishment included the wiping of her memories… that's why she was able to remain in the Fire Nation and return to her home village. The Mother of Faces took her identity from her as well as her memories so she could start over." Katara paused again, feeling her chest tighten with grief as she looked at Zuko. Telling him this–knowing that it was hurting him, made it hard for her to go on but she forced it out nonetheless. "The reason she hasn't come back, Zuko, is because she doesn't remember who you are."

And there it was–the bitter, painful truth.

Katara swallowed, forcing the lump in her esophagus down into the pit her of her stomach. She turned her whole body towards Zuko, reaching for him with both hands because she was afraid he would slip through her fingers if she weren't holding onto him tight enough. Zuko's body stiffened under her grip but he didn't pull away. His jaw clenched, and she was pretty sure he'd stopped breathing… but he didn't pull away.

"Zuko," she prompted a response out of him after a couple of moments had gone by.

"She doesn't remember me," he repeated. "Of course." A dry, flat sound whistled through his nostrils. "That explains a lot."

"I'm sorry…" Katara knew the words were inadequate, but what else was there to say?

"What else did Azula tell you?"

Katara ignored the bite of his tone, understanding that it wasn't directed towards her. "She said that Ursa is remarried now and has another daughter, Kiyi."

A wave of surprise lightened his irises. "So I have another sister." Zuko turned and slowly ambled down the other side of the bridge. Katara followed, folding her fingers into her palms as she walked a half step behind him.

"We can still go, Zuko," Katara tried in a soft tone. "She might not know who we are but that doesn't mean that we can't visit her. I think it would be good for you to see her again… she's still your mother." A tight sensation seemed to knit Katara's ribs together. If the roles were reversed and Katara had the opportunity to set eyes on her mother–even if it meant she wouldn't recognize her–Katara would take it. She'd feel sad of course, but at least she could see for herself that her mother was alive and thriving in her new life…

"Is that what you would do?"

"Yes." Katara didn't hesitate. "I would do anything to be able to see my mother again."

Zuko turned to face her. He noted the sadness in her sapphire gaze and immediately reached out for her. His hands circled her small waist and pulled her to his chest. The light of the sun caught the jewel at her throat and Zuko brushed the glossy surface with his index finger. Memories from a different time passed through his mind with a pang of grief. "I'm sorry," he told her softly. "You must think me selfish."

"You're not selfish, Zuko. It's natural to feel disappointed. I would be, too."

A small smile skirted on the planes of Zuko's mouth. He caught Katara's chin, tracing the length of her jaw with a finger. "No you wouldn't," he said, lowering his face, "you're stronger than me." He touched his lips to hers lightly. Her scent tangled in his nostrils, chasing away the lingering doubts that plagued his subconscious. He sighed against her lips, letting the heat wash over them both as he tipped his forehead to hers and rested there. He knew he was a better man with her at his side. "Come with me?"

"To visit your mom?"

Zuko nodded.

"Of course I'll come with you." She tightened her arms around his back before tracing the length of his spine with her fingers, invoking a delicious shiver to chase the wake of her touch.

"I'll make the arrangements," Zuko said. "We'll be accompanied you know."

"I know," Katara said with a sigh. "I'll get used to it."

Zuko kissed her lips once again, this time in the way of apology. But such was the way of his life and the title he bore. She would get used to it, he knew… but he never wanted to see the firelight drain from her eyes because of it. Katara was freedom, but he also saw the power of a queen blooming inside her. In time, she would see it, too.

~xXx~

General Iroh shifted in his saddle in attempt to ease the ache in his hips and back. The Dragon of the West was aging, and the stiffness in his bones reminded him that he was no longer as spry as he once was. He was still just as good as any solider in the royal army when it came time to fight, but the healing took longer afterwards. He had lived a good life, he thought to himself as they rode through the countryside. It had been a tough life, but watching his nephew grow up and become the man he was today had been the highlight of his success. He was so proud of him, and continued to look forward to all he still had to accomplish–especially now that Katara was by his side.

Iroh could admit his shock when Katara came to see him. He thought her plan to visit Azula would turn out to be less fruitful considering the history the two shared, but despite his age and how much Iroh had seen–life never ceased to surprise him. Katara didn't see it yet, but she was exactly the kind of queen the world so desperately needed. Iroh looked ahead at the pair in front of him. Katara sat atop her steed with the elegance and poise of a noblewoman, and yet he could see the wildfire still burning in her soul. She was a force to be reckoned with, and Zuko's equal in every way possible.

Katara turned her head over her shoulder, gifting Iroh with one of her smiles. "Are you doing okay back there General?"

Iroh cleared his throat. "The ache in my lower back is telling me that it's been too long since I've ridden a horse," he told her with a smile. "Alas I am faring as best I can."

"We'll stop soon and make camp," Zuko called over his shoulder. "The horses are probably getting tired too."

Iroh very much doubted that, but he appreciated his nephew for giving him an out nonetheless. Besides, according the sun's positioning in the sky, it was far past the time of his afternoon tea, and he was desperately craving a cup.

"There's an outcropping of stone not five miles up the road," Ju-long called back. "The forest will make for good shelter and there's a river close by for the horses."

"And the tea," Iroh added. "Let's not forget the tea."

The group veered from the path when they reached the outcropping Ju-long had mentioned and turned into the forest. They rode for another half mile until the trees thinned and a meadow of long grass and wildflowers stretched out before them. Katara climbed down from her saddle, moving to the front of her horse to scratch his chest and offer him an apple from the saddlebag.

Zuko began undoing the saddle straps, winking at Katara as he hefted the heavy device from the horse's back and placed it on a nearby log.

"I'll circle back to tell the other's we're making camp for the night. I'll position them closer to the road so they can warn us if there is any trouble," Ju-long told Zuko.

"And I," General Iroh said, "am going to the river to fetch some water."

Zuko smiled and shook his head as he finished up with the horses. Katara helped and began unpacking the supplies they needed to set up their tents. The forest was alive with the sound of chirping birds and the shuffle of small, scurrying wildlife. The air smelled clean here, unlike the ashy scent that seemed to hover in the atmosphere above the Fire Nation's Capital City. She was getting used to that too, but nothing beat the scent of the open wood.

Katara struggled with her small tent; the arches were bent and wouldn't click into place under her grip.

"Let me help," Zuko offered, grabbing the poles and twisting them until they popped into place. "There," he said, "all set."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You know this would be a lot easier if we could just share a tent." She tilted her head to meet his gaze and looped her arms around his neck. "We did before. I don't see how this time has to be any different."

"Last time we were on a mission to rescue our friends and our sharing the same tent was out of necessity. Now that we're courting, sharing a tent would be deemed inappropriate and dishonorable," Zuko said regrettably. "It would sully your reputation."

Katara snorted. "I think you've already done that a time or two."

A mischievous grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah but no one else knows about it."

"Mm," Katara murmured, pressing herself tightly to his body. She doubted that no one else knew. She had told Suki (not that she was going to tell anyone) but she knew rumors would fly regardless, especially now that she was staying in the palace.

"Plus, the tents aren't exactly sound proof, and we are sleeping in tight quarters with the others nearby."

Katara didn't reply. Instead, she brushed her breasts against his chest as she pulled herself out of his embrace. Maybe torturing him with something he couldn't have would be fun. She grinned at him and went about setting up her sleeping bag in her tent.

Later, when the evening sun had all but set and the arc of the sky stretching above the meadow was lavender in color, Katara began gathering their empty food bowls to take to the river for cleaning. Their dinner had been a meager one of boiled rice and vegetables, but Katara's belly was satisfied. She packed up the supplies and hoisted the basket on her arm. "I'm going to get these cleaned up," she announced.

Ju-long was nearest to her and mumbled something under his breath about a woman's place and how it ought to be in the kitchen anyway. Her gaze cut to his face, jaw working as she summoned a stream of water from a nearby bucket and used it to put out the pipe he was smoking.

"Hey! That was expensive Tabaco," he complained.

Katara grinned sweetly. "Oh, I'm sorry… the water must have slipped. Silly me."

From his spot by the fire, General Iroh chuckled.

Ju-long glared at her but he chose not to reply. A wise decision, considering Zuko was ready to pummel him for what he'd said to her. He'd hoped that in time Ju-long would come around, but it seemed he was still holding a grudge against Katara.

Wordlessly, Zuko rose and joined Katara's side.

General Iroh cleared his throat. "Lord Zuko," he began, "I needn't remind you that I know how long it takes to walk to the river and how long it takes to clean dishes," he said with a grin, "I wouldn't be gone longer than that–lest you risk the lady's reputation."

"Need I remind you, Uncle, that I am the Fire Lord and I'm well versed in the art of honor and discretion?" Zuko replied with a wry tone.

Chagrin burned in Katara's cheeks. She hugged the basket of dishes to her side and began marching swiftly through the forest in the direction of the river. Zuko caught up to her.

"Ignore them," he told her. "Uncle is merely being facetious."

"I know that," Katara said, "but I still don't want them talking about it."

"And yet earlier you wanted to share the same tent," Zuko teased her. He reached over, lifting the basket from her arms so she wouldn't have to carry the extra weight as they maneuvered through the near-darkness.

"Well, I guess I just kind of thought you would sneak in after they went to bed or something." She shrugged and pushed a lock of hair back from her face. She could hear the water cutting over rocks in the riverbed and knew they were getting close to the bank.

"I want to, Katara, believe me," he said earnestly. "But I really do care about protecting your honor in the eyes of the world. I want to do this right."

"I respect that," Katara said as they approached the river. Zuko sat the basket on the rocky bank and knelt beside her to help her clean the dishes. The water was pleasantly cool to the touch, and the first of the night's stars were shimmering on its reflective surface. "It's just that we've already broken that rule… What the rest of the world doesn't know won't hurt them. Besides, have you officially announced that we're courting?"

A mug slipped in Zuko's fingers but he caught it before it could drop into the stream. "Is that what you want?" He turned to look at her. "That's what I want, but I don't want to force you into something you're not ready for."

"I said I loved you, Zuko," Katara told him, "that means I'm all in."

Zuko was quiet. He gazed at the waterbender and felt warmth erupting through his insides. "It won't be easy," he said softly.

"I know that," she replied. "But I don't care. I want to be with you Zuko. No matter the cost, I want to be yours."

Zuko placed the mug back into the basket and reached for Katara. His left hand framed the side of her face as he pulled her mouth to his and kissed her. People would judge them both, but he didn't care. He would do everything in his power to protect her and keep her safe, but he also knew Katara was capable of handling rough currents all on her own. She was a warrior in her own right, and he loved her all the more for it.

"When we get back I'll make the announcement," he breathed against her lips.

Katara smiled, pressing her mouth to his once more.

I'm baaaack!

If you couldn't tell, I was inspired by the Manga for this chapter and incorporated a little of what happened to Zuko's mom in my story. Of course I put my own spin on things, so I hope you enjoyed the difference. Our characters have certainly come a long way!

A HUGE shout-out to CorruptedHeart for the review you left me. I was blown away by your kindness and compliments on this story. I can't express how grateful I am for your words. :)

I also want to thank the guest reviewer for Chapter 21 - whoever you are, it means a lot to know you're enjoying the story, so thank you for the feedback.

You guys rock!

Stay tuned and happy reading!

~Sparrow