Zuko's back was aching far too much for this. At 6 months, he felt huge and constantly in pain. Sitting on the ground like he was, was absolute murder on his back. But Appa had gone to sleep in a cave and Zuko really didn't want to walk the measly distance on his own. It just seemed so far and so hard. It was better to wait for the others to go to bed so one of them could help him- as loathing of the idea he was.
Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be soon.
"Suddenly, they heard something down the hall, in the dark," Sokka narrated, making spooky noises to accompany his tale, "It came into the torchlight. And they knew the blade of Wing- Fun was haunted!" He yelled, pulling out his sword for emphasis.
Zuko winced at the shrill screech he made.
"I think I liked 'The man with a sword for a hand' better." Aang said.
"Water Tribe slumber parties must stink." Toph complained.
"No, wait, I've got one," Katara said, "And this is a true Southern Water Tribe story."
"Is this one of those 'a friend of my cousin knew some guy that this happened to' story?" Sokka asked.
"No. It happened to mum."
Zuko leaned back against the overgrown tree root behind him, absently rubbing his back as he listened intently.
"One winter when mum was a girl, a snow storm buried the whole village for weeks. A month later, mum realized she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm, so mum and some others went to check on Nini's family. When they got there, no one was home. Just a fire flickering in the fireplace. While the men went out to search, mum stayed in the house. When she was alone, she heard a voice. 'It's so cold and I can't get warm'. Mum turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue like she was frozen. Mum ran outside for help, but when everyone came back, Nini was gone."
Aang was hiding under Momo and Sokka had dived behind the tree root. Zuko didn't move but a chill ran down his spine. Freezing to death was one of the worst fates imaginable to a Firebender. The baby kicked hard in protest against his shaken mood.
"Where'd she go?" Sokka asked timidly.
"No one knows," Katara replied, "Nini's house stands empty to this day. But sometimes, people see smoke coming up from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm."
Toph let out a gasp, placing her hand on the ground. "Wait! Guys, did you hear that?"
Aang and Sokka clumped against Katara. Zuko yelped as Sokka pulled him in and held him close.
"I hear people under the mountain and they're screaming."
Sokka let go of Katara and Zuko and scoffed. "Pft, nice try."
"No, I'm serious, I hear something." Toph protested.
"You're probably just jumpy from the ghost stories." Katara said.
"It just stopped." Toph muttered quietly.
"All right," Aang whispered, "Now I'm getting scared."
So was Zuko. The prickling sense of wrongness and unease was twisting his stomach up. The baby was getting more and more unsettled, which really wasn't helping his nerves.
"Hello children."
Zuko barely contained his cry of fear at the voice behind him. He staggered dizzily as Sokka pulled him upright and he was crushed between the Alpha and Toph. He leaned heavily on Toph's shoulder, watching the old woman step into the firelight.
"Sorry to frighten you. My name is Hama. You children shouldn't be out in the forest by yourselves at night, especially with a little one on the way."
Zuko shivered uncomfortably when she nodded towards his swollen belly. He cupped it his with his hand protectively, and Toph pushed him backwards slightly, blocking his bump with her body.
"I have an inn nearby, why don't you come back there for some spiced tea and warm beds?"
"Yes please." Sokka squeaked.
Zuko frowned as they put out the fire and followed Hama through the forest. He couldn't shake the anxious jitteriness. Sokka put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"What about Appa?" Zuko hissed worriedly.
"Don't worry, Zuko. We're not going far. He'll be okay on his own until tomorrow. And if we need him, Aang has his whistle." Sokka said.
"I still don't like this." Zuko said.
"Come on, Zu-"
"Sh! It's Lee."
Sokka rolled his eyes but nodded. "What's wrong with a chance to sleep in an actual bed, with a roof over our heads and a hot meal waiting for us?"
"I don't know yet, but something feels wrong about this."
"Don't worry. I- we- we're not going to let anything happen to you, alright."
Zuko nodded tentatively.
Though the inn Hama was leading them to wasn't very far away, Zuko was still huffing and puffing by the time they reached the town. He did his best to disguise how out of breath he was, but Sokka still wrapped an arm around his shoulders and Toph still hovered by his side. He couldn't prove anything, but he was sure she was using her Earthbending to make the steep path up to the inn easier for him to climb.
When they at last made it up, Hama ushered them all in with a smile that sent Zuko's heart racing. He couldn't place why, but there was something so unsettling about her. For a Beta, she had an unusually strong scent of salt and spices. Maybe it was just his nose being overly sensitive and his hormones running wild.
He doubted it was.
Despite his agitation, he gratefully sunk into a chair around the table, squeezed in between Sokka and Toph.
Hama quickly bustled around the kitchen, pouring out steaming cups of tea for them all. It was a spiced blend that Zuko couldn't remember the name of. Uncle wasn't fond of most spiced teas, but Zuko remembered Lieutenant Jee giving it to him once or twice on the Wani. He missed Jee. He hoped he was still alive.
"Thanks for letting us stay here tonight," Katara said, "You have a lovely inn."
"Aren't you sweet?" Hama chuckled, sliding into a chair to join them, "You know, you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods you've been camping in."
And they'd left Appa there?
"What do you mean, disappearing?" Sokka asked.
"When the moon turns full, people walk in and they don't come out."
Zuko shuddered. Now were they going to go back for Appa and get out of the creepy woods, away from the creepy old woman?
"Who wants more tea?" Hama asked. The unnerving 180 of her tone was not helping Zuko trust her at all.
None of them moved.
Hama set the tea pot down and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you'll all be completely safe here. Why don't I show you to your rooms, and you can all get a good night's rest?"
No, no, no. It was safer if they stayed together. But the gentle squeeze of Toph's hand in his and Sokka's hand on his shoulder kept him from arguing.
"Don't worry," Sokka murmured, "I'm right next door. If you need anything I'm there."
Zuko nodded mutely. Reluctantly, he watched Sokka disappear into his room. With a sigh, Zuko turned into his own room and closed the door with a quiet click.
He wanted to do a full search of the room, but his eyes were blurring, and he was pretty sure he was starting to sway of his feet. Biting his lip and battling paranoia, he crawled onto the bed and bundled himself in the blankets. They were cold and wrong and didn't smell right but he didn't have time to be upset about it before sleep had taken him.
Zuko woke with very first rays of dawn just barely over the horizon. He felt a little more rested; but the anxiety had yet to leave him. Coiled like a spring he got out of bed and started pacing. He wrung his hands back and forth in a desperate attempt to dispel some of the nervous energy. The baby squirmed and rolled uncomfortably under his belly.
"It's okay, little firefly," he murmured, "It's okay."
A quiet knock came from the door. Zuko flinched and froze.
"Sparky, can I come in?" Toph called quietly.
Zuko relaxed, rubbing his belly calmingly. He opened the door and let her in.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Depends. I came to check on you. You're still on edge."
"Oh. Sorry."
"Ain't nothing to be sorry for. You gotta listen to your instincts. If something's telling you it doesn't feel right, you should listen."
"I just don't know what's wrong. I just can't shake the feeling that there is something wrong."
Toph tugged him over to sit on the bed with her. "That's okay. We can figure it out; especially if people are going missing around here. That definitely means we'll be investigating."
"I suppose."
Toph huffed and hugged him tightly. "Try not to stress out too much, okay. I know Katara's annoying, but she knows what she's talking about."
Zuko laughed and put an arm around her shoulders. "Thanks, Toph."
"No worries."
Zuko shifted position and a soft groan escaped his lips.
"Sparky, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a back ache."
"Oh. Is there anything I can do?"
"Thanks, Toph, but I'll be fine."
"Zuko?" Katara's voice called from the other side of the door, "Have you seen Toph? She's not in her room."
Zuko groaned and pushed himself up from the bed. Toph grumbled as he dislodged her, but he paid her no mind.
He answered the door to Katara and Aang.
"Keep it down and stop shouting my name like that. We're supposed to be in disguise. Call me Lee."
"Okay then." Aang chirruped
"Sorry," Katara said, "But have you seen Toph?"
"Right here, Sugar Queen." Toph grumbled, padding over.
"Oh good, there you are."
"Where's Sokka?" Zuko asked somewhat impatiently.
"Snoozles is still in bed. Obviously." Toph replied.
The creak of the stairs alerted them to the arrival of Hama and her chilling smile. "Are you ready to go?"
Go? Go where?
"We're just waiting on Sokka. He always sleeps late." Katara replied, unconcernedly.
Hama chuckled and opened Sokka's door. Zuko frowned as she strode inside, followed by Katara.
"Time to go shopping."
Great.
Zuko fiddled nervously with the hem of his cloak as they made their way through the market stalls. Thankfully Hama hadn't questioned it, nor did she seem to realise who he was. At least he could be grateful for that.
The others were laden with baskets, but Zuko had been forbidden by Katara from carrying anything. Hama had chittered and agreed. It put Zuko on edge. He had tried to take one of Sokka's baskets to prove a point- but the Alpha was having none of that.
Zuko, Toph, Aang and Sokka followed a little way behind Katara and Hama. The two of them were talking up a storm. Zuko wanted to pull Katara away, but he knew better than that.
They passed by a stall seller complaining to a customer about losing delivery boys in the woods during full moons.
"People disappearing in the woods, weird stuff during full moons, this just reeks of Spirit World shenanigans." Sokka said.
"I bet if we take a little walk around town, we'll find out what these people did to the environment to make the Spirits mad." Aang suggested.
"And then you can sew up this little mystery, lickety split, Avatar style." Sokka grinned.
"Helping people, that's what I do." Aang said.
"You might want to make keeping secrets something you do as well." Zuko grumbled.
"Don't worry, Zuko," Sokka said, "No one's listening to us."
"That you can tell." Zuko muttered.
Ahead of them, Hama and Katara stopped to wait for them to catch up.
"Why don't you all take those things back to the inn? I just have to run a few more errands. I'll be back in a little while." Hama said.
"This is a mysterious little town you have here." Sokka observed.
"Mysterious town for mysterious children." Hama said, with an ominous grin. She slid away into the crowd, leaving the group confused and unnerved.
They walked back to the inn in silence. Zuko lagged behind, massaging his aching back as he walked. Just once, he'd like a part of pregnancy that was actually nice. Just one part that wasn't painful.
"That Hama seems a little strange," Sokka said, setting a basket down on the table, "Like she knows something or she's hiding something."
"That's ridiculous," Katara said, "She's a nice woman who took us in and gave us a place to stay. She kind of reminds me of Gran- Gran."
"But what did she mean by that comment 'mysterious children'?" Sokka pressed.
"Gee, I don't know," Katara snarked, "Maybe because she found five strange kids camping in the woods at night? Isn't that a little mysterious?"
"There's something about her that really unsettles me," Zuko said quietly, "I don't know what, but I don't like it."
Katara shrugged. "Well, you don't trust adults easily. You're probably just spooked from the ghost stories last night and the disappearances and your hormones are getting the better of you."
Zuko hummed. If only it was just his hormones being out of control. But he was sure that wasn't the problem.
"I'm gonna take a look around." Sokka declared, already walking out of the room. He started walking up the creaking staircase determinedly.
"Sokka! Sokka, what are you doing?" Katara exclaimed, "You can't just snoop around someone's house."
"It'll be fine." Sokka said.
"She could be home any minute." Aang said as Sokka started opening doors and peering into rooms.
"Sokka you're gonna get us all in trouble," Katara said, "And this is just plain rude."
"I'm not finished yet." Sokka said, tugging on cupboard handles. "Come on…"
Sokka fell back as the doors flung open. There was a collective startle as several puppets fell out. Sokka yelled, waving his sword about and stumbling over.
"Okay, that's pretty creepy." Aang whimpered.
"So she's got a hobby," Katara said, closing up the cupboard, "There's nothing weird about that."
Sokka pulled himself up from the floor and started to go further into the house.
"Sokka, you've looked enough," Katara chastised, "Hama will be back soon."
Sokka didn't reply. He climbed a second set of stairs up into the attic. He rattled something, grunting.
"Just an ordinary, puppet loving innkeeper, huh?"
Zuko scowled as the others started following Sokka up the stairs. Did they not realise he could barely see his feet anymore and the thing was practically a ladder.
"Then why does she have a locked door up here?"
No, they did not realise and there was no way Zuko was staying down here by himself. It was an awkward climb; punctuated by several grunts and huffs as he felt his way up.
"Probably to keep people like you from snooping through her stuff." Katara snapped.
"We'll see." Sokka challenged. He squinted through the key hole. "It's empty except for a little chest."
Toph gasped excitedly. "Maybe it's treasure."
Sokka pulled out his sword.
"Sokka, what are you doing?" Katara asked, "You're breaking into a private room."
"I have to see what's in there." Sokka said, jamming the point of his sword into the lock. The door unlocked with a soft click and swung open.
"We shouldn't be doing this." Aang said as they all stepped inside.
Sokka picked up the chest and tried to open it. "Maybe there's a key here somewhere."
"Oh, hand it over." Toph said. Sokka passed it over and she took off her space metal bracelet. She moulded it into the shape of a key and pressed it into the lock.
"Come on, come on." Sokka urged.
"This isn't as easy as it looks." Toph grumbled.
"Guys, I don't know about this." Aang said.
"This is crazy. I'm leaving." Katara said.
"Suit yourself," said Sokka, "Do it, Toph."
They all- including Katara- crowded around the chest- when a voice sounded from behind.
"I'll tell you what's in the box."
They whirled around the see Hama standing in the doorway. A warning growl rumbled in Zuko's chest. He tensed; readying to fight.
Hama stepped closer. The others all hung their heads guiltily. Sokka held out the chest. Hama opened it and took out a white and blue comb.
"An old comb?" Sokka exclaimed.
"It's my greatest treasure," Hama said, "It's the last thing I own from growing up in the Southern Water Tribe."
Katara and Sokka's jaws dropped in shock.
"You're from the Southern Water Tribe?" Katara gasped.
"Just like you." Hama nodded.
"How did you know?" Katara asked.
"I heard you talking around your campfire."
Oh, for the love of Agni, how had these people not been captured yet? It seemed to Zuko like they couldn't keep a secret to save their lives.
"But why didn't you tell us?" Sokka asked.
"I wanted to surprise you. I bought all this food today so I could fix you a big, Water Tribe dinner. Of course, I can't get all the ingredients I need here, but ocean kumquats are a lot like sea prunes, if you stew them long enough."
Aang mimed a gag. "Great."
"I knew I felt a bond with you right away." Katara beamed.
"And I knew you were keeping a secret, so I guess we were both right." Sokka crowed.
Katara smacked his arm.
"But I'm sorry we were sneaking around." He amended.
"Apology accepted." Hama smiled sweetly. Sickly sweet if you asked Zuko. "Now let's get cooking."
Aang jogged out to the barn behind the house. Zuko ambled behind, one hand on his back. He had a terrible feeling that the aches plaguing him wouldn't go away for quite a while.
Appa rumbled cheerfully as they entered. Aang tossed him a cabbage, which he munched eagerly. Zuko walked over to him and they nuzzled each other.
"Come on Zuko," Aang said, "Let's get back to the others."
Zuko sighed, reluctantly prying himself away from Appa. "Bye, Appa."
Aang eyes him worriedly. "Are you okay?"
Zuko smiled reassuringly and patted the Airbender's shoulder. "I'm fine, Aang. I just didn't sleep well and it's pretty tiring lugging this," he patted his belly for emphasis, "Around all day."
Aang frowned and then smiled back. "Okay. Hopefully you'll sleep better tonight."
"Yeah. Me too."
When they entered the house again, Katara swept them along to the table. Zuko perched on the end next to Toph.
"I'd steer clear of the sea prunes." Aang whispered conspiratorially.
"I thought they were ocean kumquats." Toph said.
"Close enough." Aang replied.
"Who wants five flavour soup?" Hama asked cheerfully.
Sokka, Katara and Aang raised their hands. Zuko didn't know what five flavour soup was and didn't really want to be accepting food from Hama.
Hama raised her hand over the soup bowl and Waterbended it into everyone's bowls.
"You're a Waterbender!" Katara cried giddily, "I've never met another Waterbender from our tribe!"
"That's because the Fire Nation wiped them all out." Hama said grimly. "I was the last one."
"So how did you end up out here?" Sokka asked.
"I was stolen from my home. It was over 60 years ago when the raids started. They came again and again, each time, rounding up more of our Waterbenders and taking them captive. We did our best to hold them off, but our numbers dwindled as the raids continued. Finally, I too, was captured. I was lead away in chains. The last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe."
Katara got out of her chair to gently wrap her arms around Hama as the old woman continued speaking. "They put us in terrible prisons, here in the Fire Nation. I was the only one who managed to escape."
"How did you get away?" Sokka asked, "And why did you stay in the Fire Nation?"
"I'm sorry. It's too painful to talk about anymore."
"We completely understand," Katara said gently, "We lost our mother in a raid."
"Oh you poor things." Hama crooned, patting Katara's hand.
Zuko stared down at his bowl. He didn't feel very hungry. He hoped that they could win the war and make everything right: just so then maybe he wouldn't always feel this nagging, tugging, twisting guilt. Was that why he was so mistrustful of Hama? Because she made him feel guilty? No. That couldn't be it. He hadn't suspected she was a Waterbender at all.
Agni, he just wanted to get out of here.
"I can't tell you what it means to meet you. It's an honour. You're a hero." Katara said.
"I never thought I'd meet another Southern Waterbender. I'd like to teach you what I know so you can carry on the Southern tradition when I'm gone."
"Yes! Yes of course!" Katara clapped her hands in delight, "To learn about my heritage, it would mean everything to me."
Something shifted in Hama's smile. Zuko shuddered.
"Hey, Zu- Lee, you have got to try these kumquats," Sokka said, "They taste just like sea prunes!"
The look Aang was giving him was one of pure horror, but Sokka seemed so eager and excited. Cautiously, Zuko took a bite. It was salty, chewy and had a slippery texture.
"It's not bad." He said.
Aang spluttered in shock while Sokka grinned proudly. "Oh yeah. Water Tribe for the win."
Zuko smiled. He finished of several of the kumquats, much to Aang's dismay. The soup was not as good, and he didn't eat most of it. Aang looked like he was about to cry.
That night, Zuko's sleep was once again broken and uneasy. He pushed through the drowsiness and joined the investigation team while Hama took Katara away for Waterbending practice.
Zuko leaned wearily against a tree while Sokka hunted for clues and Aang gazed out at the view.
"This has got to be the nicest natural setting in the Fire Nation." Aang said. "I don't see anything that would make a Spirit mad around here."
"Maybe the Moon Spirit just turned mean." Toph suggested.
"The Moon Spirit is a gentle, loving lady. She rules the sky with compassion and… lunar goodness." Sokka said sharply.
"Right." Zuko said.
Aang just shrugged and wandered off to flag down a passer-by. "Excuse me, sir. Can you tell us anything about the spirit that's been stealing people?"
"Only one man ever saw it and lived, and that's Old Man Ding." The man said.
"Where does Old Man Ding live?" Toph asked.
Evening was settling by the time they reached Old Man Ding's house. There was an old man outside- presumably Ding- boarding up the windows.
"Old Man Ding?" Aang said.
The man turned and yelped as his hammer struck his thumb. "Aw, dad blame it. What? Can't you see I'm busy? Got a full moon rising. And why does everyone call me that? I'm not that old." He crouched down and struggled to lift the plank of wood.
He huffed. "Well, I'm young at heart."
Aang quickly stepped round to held him lift the board.
"Not ready to get snapped up by some moon monster yet, at least."
We wanted to ask you about that." Sokka said, picking up the hammer and nails.
"Did you get a good look at the spirit that took you?" Aang asked.
"Didn't see no spirit," Old Man Ding replied, "Just felt something come over me. Like I was possessed. Forced me to start walking towards the mountain."
The four of them followed his point to the mountain looming above them.
"I tried to fight it, but I couldn't my own limbs. It just about had me into a cave up there. And I looked up at the moon for what I thought would be my last glimpse of light. But then the sun started to rise. And I got control of myself again! I just high tailed it away from the mountain as quick as I could."
"Why would a spirit want to take people to a mountain?" Sokka asked.
"Oh, no!" Toph exclaimed, "I did hear people screaming under the mountain. The missing villagers must still be there."
They gazed up at the mountain in horror. What on earth had they stumbled into?
Old Man Ding grumbled under his breath and went back inside his house.
Sokka turned to the group. "Zuko, you go back to the inn while we go to the mountain and rescue the villagers."
"What? No, I'm coming with you."
"No. Look, there's probably going to be running involved in this, and you're not as swift as you used to be."
Zuko glowered daggers at him.
Sokka flinched back but carried on. "Besides, if this goes wrong, we might need you and Katara to bail us out. Okay?"
"Fine," Zuko huffed, "Be careful. I'd rather not have to launch any rescue missions."
"We'll try." Sokka said.
"And you be careful, too, Zuko," Aang said, "Get back to the inn in one peace, alright."
Zuko nodded. "Go."
With that, they were running. Zuko sighed, turning away and storming towards the inn. They didn't think this whole splitting up thing through very well. Suddenly the shadows around him looked sinister and menacing. The sounds in the dark sounding unearthly and threatening. Zuko whimpered under his breath and hurried his pace.
The baby protested, but Zuko didn't stop to settle it. He jumped at every slight sound, every shadow flittering around him.
It was too long before he reached the inn door. The place may not have felt the safest, but it was surely better than out in the night with people disappearing left and right.
He slunk up to his room and started pacing anxiously. The door creaked open. He flinched back.
"Hama. I- is there something you needed?"
She smiled, closing the door behind her. "Oh, nothing much, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."
His eyes widened and he backed away. "You know who I am."
"I heard you talking around the camp fire."
"What do you want?"
"I want you to pay for all your sins!" she snarled.
"Hama please. I'm so sorry about what happened to you, but that wasn't my doing. We're trying to overthrow my father, we're trying to make things better."
"There is no making things better after you slaughtered my people."
She stepped closer. Zuko backed away further; igniting his palm and holding it out in warning. She chuckled. She raised her arms: but she had no water. Zuko had only a moment to question it.
He lost control of his body.
His limbs jerked and twisted out of control. Hama pushed and pulled, and like a puppet, his body obeyed. She shoved him down to his knees. He could already feel bruises blooming. His teeth gnashed to bite back to terrified whimper lodged in his throat.
"How- what- please don't-"
He tried to scream, but Hama clenched her hand and he couldn't speak: not even a whisper of a croak.
"This is a most unexpected opportunity," Hama said, "That I can start to cut out the Fire Nation's evilness right at the source."
From her pocket the pulled out several coils of rope. With her hideous powers, she held him down while she bound his ankles together. Then she gagged him. Finally she tied his neck to the bed frame.
With a sick smile, she forced his hands to press against his belly. Zuko's eyes widened as he realised what she was doing. But he couldn't scream. Couldn't struggle. Could only watch with tears coursing down his face as she bound his wrists together and his arms to his sides- so that he couldn't move his hands away from his stomach. The baby was pounding away at his insides, but there was nothing he could do.
"There we go. If you try to use your fire to escape, you'll burn your offspring away in your womb. I doubt you want that. New lives are so precious, aren't they?"
With that she stood and made for the door. "Now you wait there until I'm done teaching Katara how to continue my work."
Zuko sobbed desperately against the rope, but it was no use. He was trapped. He couldn't call for help- there was only Katara to hear, and he'd be placing her in danger. There was no way he could burn the ropes. He would almost certainly burn his belly and he couldn't take that risk.
His only hope was that Katara would be able to get away from Hama and find the others for help.
But what could any of them do against someone who could control their very bodies?
Hopefully Aang's Avatar-ness would protect him somehow.
As he sat there- body cramping, breathing ragged, lungs burning, eyes wet- all Zuko wanted was his uncle. His uncle who always had a plan, his uncle who was the most powerful Firebender he'd ever seen. His uncle who always protected him and made everything better.
He thrashed against his bindings, screaming for his uncle. Screaming for Katara. Screaming for Aang. Screaming for Toph. Screaming for Sokka.
Screaming for his mother.
But no one could hear his cries. The words he was speaking didn't even come out as words; just mindless animal sounds.
Zuko thought he knew fear. But this- this was something else entirely. He didn't care what Hama would do to him but knowing that she would certainly kill his baby- the mere idea brought madness to his mind. Seeing his baby hurt- seeing it dead- would break him more than if Hama shattered every bone in his body. Than if she ripped his heart right out of his chest and crushed it in her hands.
He screamed and screamed.
Somewhere in the eternity he'd been tied up for, he'd gotten lost in his own mind. When he heard the sounds of voices calling his name, he thought he was hallucinating. Then he realised he wasn't and screamed again. His throat was already raw and scraped, but he didn't care. He sounded like an animal. All he could think about was getting free.
Footsteps thundered up the stairs. The door crashed open and suddenly he was surrounded.
"Zuko!"
"Hold on, we're gonna get you out!"
He breathed in sharply: inhaling pine and snow and sea salt and oak and willow and rainwater. The mix was chaotic, but grounding. He felt protected.
The gag was carefully removed from his mouth. His blurry vision focused on Sokka's face just in front of his.
"Hama," he croaked painfully, "She- bending- where?"
"It's okay, Zuko." Sokka soothed. The scent of pine and snow dominated Zuko's nose. "She's in prison now. She can't hurt anyone else."
"Are you all okay?" Zuko rasped.
Aang and Sokka glanced sideways at Katara's tear stained face.
"We will be." Sokka said.
Katara dropped to her knees and quickly started undoing the ropes around his wrists. Sokka gently undid the one around his neck, while Aang unbound his ankles.
"I'm so sorry, Zuko." Katara sobbed.
"Why? It's not your fault."
"You knew something wasn't right and I ignored you. We stayed so long because I wanted to spend time with another Waterbender. And then- then she hurt you."
"It's not your fault. I didn't know what Hama was doing. You didn't know what Hama was doing. There was nothing any of us could do."
More tears sprung in Katara's eyes, but she nodded. "Let's just get out of here."
Sokka and Aang helped Zuko stagger upright. He wavered on his feet, his legs numb, and his body drained. Sokka lifted Zuko's arm over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around the Firebender's waist. Zuko let Sokka take most of his weight as they made their way out of the house and onto Appa.
The night was late. They were all exhausted. They flew back to their original campsite and bundled themselves in blankets in one big pile on Appa; Sokka in the middle, holding Katara on one side, Zuko on the other, Aang cuddled up against Katara and Toph cuddled against Zuko. Zuko and Katara cried, but their friends- family- were there to hold them and remind them that everything was going to be okay.