Hello everyone! Welcome to the chapter 79 of Sparks Ignite! It's crazy to think its been almost a month since I uploaded. This month has been a whirlwind and its hard to believe it's the middle of October. In exciting news, I am moving in just a few days! My life has been quite crazy. But I hope to get back into writing once things slow down. So stay tuned! As always, I do not own avatar or its characters! Onto the story!

Fate and Destiny are a funny thing. They are so permanent, but yet can be changed by the smallest thing. It can cause the moon and the sun to collide. Or the most opposite Sparks to Ignite.

Book 3: Change

Chapter 79: The Taste of Ash and Smoke

She was walking down a hallway she didn't recognize. It was dark, as if it were late at night, but no moonlight came from the windows. She poked her head out, but all she saw on the other side was blackness.

She kept walking forward, hoping to find something better at the other side of the hallway. She reached a large golden door, and when she approached, it pushed itself open.

The blackness opened up and she saw a courtyard. It didn't take long for her to realize where she was.

Zuko was in front of her, his back facing her. She knew what was about to happen and she called out to him, but he didn't turn to her. And as she ran towards him, he only got further and further away.

"ZUKO!"

But as she called his name, his body lit up with blue sparks. He yelled in pain and fell to the ground. She kept trying to run to him, but he only grew further and further away.

"Zuko!" she yelled again, hoping her agonizing cries would make it stop.

But it only moved things along.

Her world spun and white lights clouded her vision.

When they finally faded away, a casket appeared in front of her. Two Fire Sages stood beside it and in an instant, the casket went up in flames.

She looked around to see her friends and family, all with hard looks on their faces, as they watched their friend burn to ash.

Katara sat up with a start. She was breathing deep, still feeling the taste of ash and smoke on her tongue. She wiped her brow to feel that she was slick with sweat, her body having the same reaction her mind was having in her sleep.

She couldn't remember the last time she had a nightmare like that. After the war, they were constant. She couldn't fall asleep without having one. They weren't always the same, but seeing Zuko's electrified body was a common one. In fact, every dream she had ended with the blue sparks surrounding his body. But sometimes, Aang was there too, crying out for her help. And sometimes Ozai threatened everyone she loved. But every time Zuko was in between her and Azula's fingertips.

But once she got to the fire nation, they faded away and she began to sleep soundly once again. She couldn't remember the last time a nightmare had plagued her thoughts. But even now, they scared her just as much as the first time.

Katara looked down at the sleeping body next to her. Zuko's breaths fell evenly as he slept, it was one of the only times he seemed completely at peace to her. It was why she enjoyed watching him sleep, and why she fought so hard for her father to allow him to stay in her room and not a guest house across the village.

She slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb his sleeping form. She walked out onto her balcony and felt the moonlight hit her skin.

Only a few days had passed since Zuko had arrived and the baby had been born, but over the course of these couple days, she felt at peace, being surrounded by family and friends.

She wished Aang could have stayed, then it would really be all of her friends and family.

All of this only made her more confused as to why her nightmares were back. She was happier than she had been in a long time. So why did her own thoughts haunt her?

Katara placed her hands on the railing and looked out over the village. Only a few lanterns lit up throughout the village, the rest were put out as people slept. But she didn't mind the darkness, it made way for the stars to light up the sky.

It was quiet, which only made the footsteps behind her clearer.

Zuko came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She didn't flinch at the interaction; she would know those footsteps anywhere.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked her. She answered with only a nod, to which he chuckled lightly, "Just like old times…"

Katara smiled, relaxing and falling into his embrace.

"Come back to sleep…" he told her, placing kisses lightly on her neck. She stiffened a little at the contact, her body starting to go to a place she didn't want to enter, at least not yet.

"Zuko…" she warned lightly. He quickly stopped and pulled away from her, moving to stand next to her instead, "I believe the better question is why aren't you asleep" he asked her.

Katara sighed, thinking for a moment before speaking, "I had a nightmare…"

Zuko stopped and looked at her. He took her hand in his, "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked her. Even he knew it had been a long time since her last nightmare. It was something they talked about often in their letters, because it was the same nightmares that he had after the war, except Katara was lit up with blue sparks and Azula was cackling on the other side of him.

She shook her head, "I just need a minute…"

Zuko sighed softly, but understood that he couldn't protect her from everything, especially not her own dreams, no matter how hard he tried. She just needed a moment to remind herself that they weren't real. He understood because he did the same thing.

He placed a kiss on her temple, "Just don't stay away for too long…" he told her, before giving her hand a final squeeze and going back inside. She smiled, watching after him for a moment, then looking back out towards the sky and letting out a breath.

She wasn't sure how long she had stayed out on the balcony, but when she finally retreated back into her room and climbed back into bed, Zuko snuggled back into her side, even though he was half asleep. Katara pulled herself into his warmth and let it soothe her back into sleep and prayed that there was no more nightmares to come for one night.

Zuko awoke before she did, his eyes snapping open at the first sight of sunlight. He looked over to see her brown hair carelessly tossed across the pillow, her mouth slightly agape. She was clearly able to fall back asleep after her nightmare, even if Zuko couldn't remember what time she came back to bed.

He looked down at her for another few moments, before slowly and carefully moving out of bed. If they stayed in bed for too long, he knew there would be a knock at her door from her brother or father, whichever arrived first. Zuko only knew that because it had happened the first two days before he became wiser.

But when he moved to stand, a tanned arm sleepily pulled him back, with a fair amount of strength for someone half asleep. He chuckled and kissed her on the forehead, trying again to stand, but again the arm held him captive.

"Katara, you know the drill…" he told her, brushing her hair from her sleeping face. She groaned and kept him close, "You're my prisoner now…" she told him, her voice groggy and sleepy.

Zuko chuckled and kissed her lightly, "Is that so?" he asked her, to which she nodded sleepily. But that didn't stop the small smirk that appeared on her face, and the small gleam of conniving beneath her closed eyes.

"Well I guess I'll just have to escape then" he reached beneath the blanket and brought his fingertips to her sides, tickling her mercilessly. Katara let out a bellow of a laugh at his antics, only causing him to smile more and keep up his tricks. Finally, when her laughs only tired her more, she begged him to stop, laughing the entire way through.

The only thing that completely stopped him was a knock at the door.

"You two awake in there?"

Zuko gave her a look and smiled, "I think that's our cue" he spoke, giving her one final kiss before standing and pulling his tunic over his head.

Ta-Daa! This chapter was full of fluff! I made it this way because I feel like these characters deserve some quiet and sweet moments after all they've been through! The next few chapters will pick back up in the North and South comics, with a twist obviously. Stay tuned to see what is going to happen in this book! Until next time!