A relatively shorter chapter but a very important one. A very Zutara heavy chapter, but there is also some more critical information that you will find in here. You discover the reason for Aang's tantrum at North Pole and you finally get a peek into Utakata's mind.

No trigger warnings for this chapter. Hope you enjoy the chapter. As usual, read and review.

Chapter 22

Katara eyed the Fire Prince as he sat leaning against a wall, with his mismatched eyes shut. There was a frown on his face and beads of sweat lined his forehead and upper lip. Judging by the occasional twitching of his body and the rapid breathing, he had drifted off into an uneasy slumber. The way his neck had lolled, he was going to wake up with a cricked neck. Without thinking, Katara rolled the blanket into a pillow, and walked over to him. She cradled his head gently and tucked the blanket between his head and shoulder. She was just about to leave when he began to breathe quickly, and his twitching increased. As Katara watched on, horrified, as Zuko began to breathe frantically in his sleep, his face and arms were slick with sweat, and he began to shake his head. She bit her lip, wondering if she should wake him from what was obviously a troubling dream. The decision was made for her when he suddenly sat up with a muffled scream.

His face had turned red as he gasped, holding his head in his hand. His eyes were glazed over, and he was seeing something that only he could see. Katara kneeled next to him and rubbed his back, concern for him overriding the fear, sorrow, disgust, confusion, guilt, and the thousand other emotions that had been swirling in her mere moments ago.

"Zuko? Are you okay?"

He looked at her and blinked a few times before recognition flickered in his eyes. He took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… had a bad dream."

"That didn't look like just another bad dream," Katara said. "You seemed like you were in pain."

He shook his head and said, "I'm fine."

"Like hell you are," Katara snapped. "You should see yourself right now.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face and he said, "Healers are quite something, aren't they?"

Katara, who was busy summoning water to herself, turned to look at him, "Huh?"

He scrubbed his face with his hands and leaned back, the frown still in place. "Do you remember Matsu?"

"The healer back at the camp? Yes," Katara said, laying the water gloved hand on his head. She had noticed the way a blood-vessel had swollen in his forehead, and she had a feeling he had a headache. As she worked, she realized that she was glad that the troubling emotions that were making her feel like she was being stretched thin, had relegated to the background. At that moment, she was worried for him. Somewhere in her mind was a half-formed question about why Zuko's pain was more important to her than her own troubles, but this was neither the time nor did she have the inclination to examine the cause. What she did know was that for whatever reason, she cared for this man. And when Katara cared for someone, she did not do things halfway.

When the water seeped into his skin, he hummed in approval. He stayed silent for a few heartbeats before continuing, "When I was burned, she was the one who healed me. At a great personal risk. You remind me of her. In fact, when I was nursing you, I was thinking of her."

Katara smiled, "Matsu is an exemplary healer. I was honored to have worked with her," but then, something he said sunk in, "Wait. You said she healed you at a great personal risk. Why? Why should healing a fourteen-year-old boy be risky?"

Zuko looked at her, his golden eyes fixing her with a molten gaze. Something about that look made her stomach dropped several feet. Finally, in the voice that turned her insides into liquid fire, he said, "Can you not make an informed guess? I know you figured out how I got the scar."

Katara's heart gave a wild leap and she was about to jump back when his fingers curled around her hand in a featherlight grip but still holding her in place. "You asked me why I kissed you. I don't have an answer for that. Now I ask you, why did you kiss my scar, Katara?"

Katara swallowed, licked her lips and decided to follow his lead, "I… I don't know."

He dropped his hand and smiled, "I can accept that answer."

Katara drew her hand from his head and released the water. She waited for her heartbeats to come under control, before she spoke again, "Who did that to you, Zuko?"

He took a deep breath and looked at his hands. When he spoke next, his voice was so low that she almost missed his words, "My father."

Utakata lay on his bed, staring at the extensive mural overhead. The one thing he loved about his brother and his wife was that they knew that the way to anyone's heart was through their stomach. And they had laid out an elaborate spread for him. He rubbed a hand over his stomach, feeling stuffed to the gills.

Thoughts of dinner brought back the memories of Toph's tantrum at the table and it was all he could do to not scream with exasperation. He had to check himself though, for he knew Toph would sense his frustration with her if he was not careful. It was not an exaggeration when she said that she was the greatest Earth Bender alive. Apart from perhaps King Bumi, there was no one who could hold a candle to Toph when it came to Earth Bender. And Utakata needed that power in his favor, and in order to do so, he had to keep her happy. He could not let her be aware of the fact that her attitude was beginning to grate on his nerves. She had always been a bratty child, but now, she was getting out of hand. She was having a hissy fit, simply because she could not accept that her role in the larger scheme of things had been fulfilled.

Utakata wouldn't admit it to anyone, but her attitude had been his biggest concern when he had sent her to the camp. And having met Zuko, he knew his apprehension wasn't misplaced. He had seen through Toph's lies. In fact, it had been pure luck that she had managed to abduct the Prince at all. The Fire Prince was a dangerous man and he had to be kept in check, lest he wreak havoc on the camp. Toph's glorious praise for the Prince only reaffirmed his belief that he was not someone to be taken lightly.

But then, Utakata had not come to lead a gang of volatile rebels just because of his bank balance and Earth bending skills. His cunning had aided him in equal measure too. Once had had spoken to Zuko and the Water Bender, he had realized that they needed to be kept in check. Keep them so busy, distracted, and troubled, that they could not stir up any trouble on their own. Utakata had spotted the glint of lust for the Water Bender in Jet's eyes, and he knew of the hatred the man had for Fire Nation. It hadn't taken him long to figure out the plan.

As was the norm, he left written instructions to Jet about what to do in his absence. This served the dual purpose of avoiding Toph's super hearing and as proof for the other rebels about the orders, should someone have any moral quandary about doing what they were doing. Not one Earth Bender or Non Bender in the camp had the balls to go against him because, apart from Jet, Utakata had either bought their loyalty with kindness, like he had done with Toph and Vamik. Or had them by the short and curlies, like Haru.

"No Aang," cried Guru Pathik, looking aghast, "by choosing attachment, you have locked the chakra. If you leave now, you won't be able to Master the Avatar State and remain more volatile than ever!"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Aang said. "In my vision, Katara is in trouble."

"Aang, please, wait…"

Aang, however, paid no heed to the Guru. If Katara was in trouble, then cosmic energy would have to wait. The monk fled to where he kept his beddings and picked up the necklace, he had been carving for her and ran out to the stables where Appa was housed. He climbed up on his bison, and set off for North Pole. As he was making his way to the North Pole, he remembered the surprising coincidence that he would be reaching the North Pole a day before Katara's birthday. As he made his way to the winter wonderland, he forced himself to banish the vision and put on a genial persona. His veneer of politeness was soon shattered, however, when he learned of Katara's mission.

With a gasp, Aang sat up on Appa. The vision that had made him drop everything, sent him fleeing to the North Pole had come back to haunt him. The image had burned itself into his mind and wouldn't go. Over and over again, he saw Katara pressed against a wall, while a black-haired man did some unspeakable things to her. Katara's face, contorted in pain, just would not leave him be.

"No, Katara is fine. She's in Ba Sing Se," Aang muttered into his hands. "She is not going to be treated like that. No one will hurt her that way."

As soon as the words left Zuko's mouth, he felt as though he was struck by lightning. At the same time, it also felt as though a band that had been tightened across his chest for years was now suddenly loosened. He could simultaneously breathe easy and was left gasping for breath. A million emotions ran through him, singeing and healing him at the same time.

Other than him and his father, Iroh and Matsu were the only ones who had ever known how he had gotten his scar. While he convalesced, Ozai had spread the story of his ineptitude, and how Zuko had burned himself in a bending accident. Once he had learned of the story that Ozai had spread, Zuko had given up trying to advocate the truth. It was his words against the words of the Fire Lord and who was going to listen to the inept Prince? The world had brought the story and he had become the source of much ridicule, till the Agni Kai.

For ten years, he had buried this secret in his heart. And now, suddenly, this woman with ocean eyes had pulled it out of him. She was making him say and do things that were highly unlike him. Within the span of less than four hours, he had kissed her and divulged his deepest, darkest secret. What was he even doing?

Up until that moment, he had told himself that the kiss was a physical manifestation of the lust he felt for her. But the moment the secret tumbled out of his mouth, Zuko's entire being was rattled. His lids felt as though they weighed a ton each, as he raised his head to look at her. The shock, the tears, the pain, and the rage he saw in her eyes was far too much for him. Zuko let out a sound that was mix of a sob and gasp, as he lowered his head again.

What the hell are you doing to me, Katara?