Chapter Thirty-Nine

Iroh had managed to gather the needed supplies for the hospital after only eleven days and he made sure that Zuko's schedule was clear. He himself had rearranged all his meetings for that day to make sure his nephew would be available to visit the free clinic and donate supplies. The palace staff were overseeing getting all the gathered supplies packed onto carts pulled by ostrich-horses while Iroh stalked to his nephew's office, a place where Zuko spent far too much time, especially alone.

"Zuko." His Uncle said, opening the door after knocking and a brief pause.

"Yes Uncle?" Zuko looked up from his piles of paperwork.

"It's one o'clock." Zuko stared blankly at him. "We have that engagement at the free clinic to donate supplies."

Zuko ran a hand down his tired face, finally remembering. "That's right." Zuko straightened out of his chair and stretched his cramped muscles. He shook out his robes and felt his top knot to assure his crowning flame piece was straight. "How do I look?"

His uncle came forward and adjusted the shoulders of his robe, licked his thumb, and rubbed an ink stain off his cheek as Zuko grimaced slightly. "Much better." Iroh approved, stepping back.

"Thanks Uncle." Zuko said, rubbing the wet spot on his cheek with his sleeve.

His Uncle turned with a big smile on his face and led the way out of the office. "We should get going. The supplies should be packed by now." Once they arrived in the courtyard, the carts were indeed packed, and it had taken four of them to hold all the blankets, towels, curtains, bandages, food, soaps, clothes, and medicine. Zuko looked over the carts and nodded his approval. Iroh and Zuko were escorted to the enclosed royal carriage drawn by ostrich-horses and a few of the royal guard riding nearby. Their little caravan finally got moving through the crowded streets of the Fire Nation, moving from the more lavish neighborhoods just outside the palace, to the more modest homes and finally to a more derelict neighborhood on the fringe of the capitol.

It was a long, slow trip, but when they finally arrived, Zuko and Iroh exited the royal carriage and Iroh gestured the driver to pull ahead so the supply carts could pull closer to the door. Zuko gestured for his soldiers to wait on the unloading until he spoke with Wu Li. Iroh led the way inside the front doors and past the waiting area where potential patients sat, waiting for their turn, and now whispering excitedly as they recognized the Fire Lord. Iroh smiled gently at the flustered nurse sitting at the front desk.

"Hello dear, we're here to see Wu Li, would you be so kind as to let her know we are here?"

"Ye-yes sir!" The nurse squeaked and fled to the back with commendable speed. The whispers continued and Zuko studiously ignored them as the minutes ticked by before Wu Li appeared, bustling to the front of the hospital.

"Fire Lord Zuko, Iroh, how good it is to see you both." The old woman smiled warmly at them.

"Wu Li, it's good to see you again." Iroh said, clasping her hands warmly.

Zuko cleared his throat uncomfortably, casting his Uncle a reproving look. "We brought you those supplies you needed." He added awkwardly.

Iroh flashed his Nephew a grin before taking a step back, and Wu Li chuckled quietly.

"Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko, this is very generous of you."

"It's the least we could do. I'm grateful for the work you do here." Zuko said sincerely.

"I should get my nurses to help me bring supplies in." Wu Li said.

"My guards should be able to help you."

Wu Li smiled at the kind young man, "Excellent, with everyone's help, this will be done quickly." She said, intentionally misunderstanding his offer. "I'll round up my nurses and we can start moving supplies into the clinic." Wu Li left to get her staff to start grabbing the supplies from the wagons and Zuko and Iroh headed outside to get the guards to start unloading the various stacks of blankets, towels, curtains, bandages, medicines, soaps, and food meant for the clinic.


Kanto, one of the male nurses poked his head around the corner of one of the threadbare patient curtains where Katara was keeping an elderly patient company. Kanto had followed the happy voices to find Katara sitting in a rickety chair beside Mrs. Taniko as they chatted and laughed.

"Hey Katara?"

"Kanto, can I help you?"

"Wu Li is gathering nurses to bring in some supplies."

"I'll be right there." She said, flashing him a smile before he disappeared to gather other nurses. "We'll have to catch up more later, Mrs. Taniko. Looks like they need help right now."

"Of course dear. Take your time."

Micco, a nurse friend of Katara's, met up with Katara in the hall on the way to the front, gently bumping hips with her playfully. "Hey you. This is a nice excuse to take a break."

"They working you too hard again?" Katara asked in a teasing tone.

Micco threw the back of her hand dramatically across her forehead. "When are they not working me too hard?" She lamented, then quickly switched to giving Katara a manic smile. "So Baku said the cutest thing the other day!" She squealed. She loved her little boy Baku; he was the center of his mother's world and Katara loved hearing all the darling stories about him.

The excited chatter continued as the two girls and several other nurses made their way outside to bring in the supplies that were being delivered.

"Oh wow!" Micco gasped out stopping suddenly once they were outside.

Katara stared at her friend in surprise. "What is it? Micco?"

"Fire Lord." She squeaked, pointing just beyond the wagons, speaking with Wu Li was indeed the young Fire Lord, in full regalia and looking very noble.

Katara felt her body go numb and yet her stomach twisted painfully, and she slowly turned and spotted a familiar figure. She felt herself freeze, her eyes locked on him and as if he sensed her stare, he slowly turned and met her eyes. Golden eyes widened in surprise while blue ones widened in dismay.

"I have to go." Katara muttered and spun on her heel, hurrying back into the hospital and away from his piercing stare.

Katara's legs automatically carried her to the last place she had been, Mrs. Taniko's bedside. She whisked the curtain shut behind her, panting as her eyes darted around. Mrs. Taniko watched the young woman's antics with amused raised brows.

Hurried boot falls could be heard rushing down the twisting corridors.

"Katara? Katara!" A masculine voice called, getting closer.

Katara made panicked jesters at the elderly woman in the bed, bringing her finger to her lips, begging the old woman to be quiet.

Mrs. Taniko smiled and nodded her head before calling as loudly as she could, "She's in here!"

Katara gave her a betrayed look, but the older woman just gave her a toothy grin with a few gaps in it. The footsteps that had run past moments before halted and started back their way.

"She's in this one! Come on in!" Mrs. Taniko called out again, ever so helpfully.

Heavy boots stopped before the thinning curtain before it was jerked aside, revealing the Fire Lord, his face stormy and pensive.

"Oh dear…" Mrs. Taniko murmured from her bed, finally cowed. "The Fire Lord…"

Katara met his searching gaze with a sullen one. "What are you doing here?" He asked, starting to reach out and curling his reaching fingers into a fist, bringing it slowly back to his side.

"It's a hospital…" She defended lamely, unable to meet his gaze and scrapping a nail against a spot of dried blood on her shirt instead.

"Did you read any of my letters?" The intensity in his voice made her burn with guilt.

"We should do this somewhere else…" She murmured, purposefully glaring at the old woman eagerly leaning forward in her bed, obviously loving every minute of this.

Zuko's political mask slipped back into place as he straightened his shoulders, and his face became stoic, locking away all emotions. "Do you have a place in mind?" His voice was quiet and restrained.

Swallowing the lump in her throat and seeing as it didn't help, she could only manage a meager nod. Wu Li wouldn't mind if she borrowed her office for a private meeting with the Fire Lord. She led the way, trying so hard to avoid touching him as she slipped past his imposing frame standing in the doorway of the little "room" of Mrs. Taniko.

Zuko watched, taking in every detail, noting how she wouldn't meet his eyes, how she avoided his questions, and touching him. Clear signs of rejection, and it angered him. He had poured his heart and soul into those letters, leaving him bare and raw… Clearly it had no effect on her decision. The worst part was that she was back, hiding under his nose for who knew how long while he had pined for her, writing unreciprocated letter after letter. He followed her into a small office where the blinds were drawn, and a desk stood littered in papers. Katara closed the door behind them and then took a deep breath as she faced him, still unable to meet his eyes.

Zuko could feel the rage simmering inside. "Why are you here? I thought you wanted to go home?"

"I wanted to heal people again." She answered quietly. "I couldn't do that at home."

"But why did you have to do it here?" He hissed, the pain making his words harsh.

Katara's guilt was overrun with anger as she snapped back, "What, am I not allowed back in the Fire Nation?! Did your girlfriend ban me?"

Zuko stood stunned for a moment, trying to process her words. "What are you talking about?"

"The whole reason I left!" She yelled in frustration.

Zuko blinked slowly at her. "…What? Did you… did you not…read my, my letters?" His voice was soft and vulnerable.

Flushing a deep red, she cast her eyes aside, feeling her temper cool as her guilt interceded again. "No."

Zuko's eyes widened. "You didn't?" He sounded… hurt. Lost, sad and a little betrayed.

"I still have them, I just… couldn't bring myself to read them."

Almost afraid to ask, it came out softer than he had meant it to. "Why?"

Katara bit her bottom lip, she could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears and she knew that these feelings had been bottled up for far too long. She had been wanting to burst since… well, since she had left the fire nation. It was time to finally put aside her pride, as she had only done with Kima since Mai had come back. "What if I made a mistake?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." He said with exasperation.

Katara jerked back as if she had been slapped, she felt a tightening in her chest and she wanted to flee, but a warm, strong hand caught her wrist and kept her from bolting. "That came out all wrong." He was frowning, but the fierce glare had left him, making his eyes appear softer, warm gold gazing at her. He began to pull her closer to him, eager to wrap her in his arms, but still she resisted. With a sudden tug she was pulled off balance and stumbled the extra step, crashing into his hard body and strong arms kept her pressed close.

Katara's senses were overwhelmed and it felt so good to be back in his arms, but reality came screaming back to her and she tried to pull away. "Zuko-"

"Mai's gone." He blurted out, unyielding to her struggles which ceased at his declaration. She turned stunned blue eyes up to study his face. "I… asked her to leave. After you left… She never helped me like you did…" He thought back to the nightmares she never understood and facing all the politics by himself as Mai kept her distance, disinterested in the things that were important to him.

Katara let out a slow breath and she could feel all the tension leaving her body for the first time in a long time. She brought her arms up and returned Zuko's embrace. "I did make a mistake." She whispered into his chest.

"It's alright." He stroked her long, soft hair.

She leaned back, still in the circle of his arms to see his soft expression watching her. She smiled at him tentatively.

He leaned his head down slowly until his forehead was resting against hers. "Just come home with me."

She could feel her breathing hitch and her answer came out a bit strangled. "Alright."


Sarahplainntall here! Sadly, it looks like we are nearing the end of our story. I hope you enjoyed my latest chapter and a big thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing; you guys are my motivation! Gryffindorshinobi, thank you for the kind words, they made my day! Meanonymously, you are so supportive and I'm glad you think I've captured Iroh well; he's REALLY hard to capture, lol. Youdabest socool, you're comments always make me laugh and grin! I gotcha boo! Kima's about to get herself a lovely girlfriend! Pukachujan19999, as always, thank you for reviewing, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Beautiful Evil, sorry for leaving you on a cliff hanger, but I hope this chapter was satisfying.

EXPOSED