Twilight x Avatar: The Last Airbender

BellaxZuko

Super AU/heavily reworked

*Mature Content Warning!*

Bella yanked the truck door shut behind her and sat inside the slowly warming cab to wait for the windshield to de-fog. Sunlight scattered rainbows through the glass and onto her face, and for a moment, she felt herself being dragged, kicking and screaming back to the hole Edward had punched through her when he left.

She gave a flick of her windshield wipers in the hope that some of the fog was on the outside, with the added bonus of clearing away any water droplets that the sun could tease her with. The lights that twinkled and danced through her eyelids ceased and Bella heaved a sigh.

Not today, dammit. It has been five months and you have a mission. Pull it together.

Bella opened her eyes and gazed at the pockets of humidity that hung low in the air, clinging to trees, grass, and any exposed surface. It was beautiful in the glow of the sun, but she knew that as soon as night came and the heavy air cooled, the world would turn into ice.

Not wanting to waste any more of the day's light than she had to on errands, Bella headed home. The groceries were unloaded in record time, and the supplies she purchased for today's adventure were quickly spread out across the table. Protein bars, a few boxes of matches, a bag for trash, reflective strips, a first aid kit, an emergency space blanket, bear mace, and some heavily discounted post-Valentine's Day chocolate she had managed to snag.

She stashed it all into her backpack and went to the garage to grab a decent length of looped rope, a flare gun with a few extra flares, Charlie's pocket knife, and a rather heavy, older compass— the only one Charlie would trust on their rare hiking excursions.

Don't make them like they used to.

Bella checked over the list of emergency prep items to make sure she hadn't missed anything and rummaged through drawers until she came across some duct tape, a flashlight with a change of batteries, toilet paper, a plastic baggie for her map, a whistle, a few bottles of water, and…that was it. Everything was ready.

She dashed up the stairs to pull a pair of jeans over her leggings for added warmth, and added a few layers on top, just in case. Who could say if Forks would suddenly morph into a tropical paradise…or, the more likely scenario, that Bella would be overheated from exertion and be required to remove a layer or two.

Better to have so I can take some off than wish I brought more.

Bella had spent an entire month scouring map after map to prepare herself, trying to determine where exactly the beautiful meadow Edward had taken her to was, before deciding to venture out. Whether she was going to burn it all to the ground or not when she found it was still up for debate. Mostly, though, she just needed to see it; she needed to be reminded that it was real, that Edward was real.

She packed a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches so she wouldn't have to blow through the protein bars if she got hungry and scrawled a quick note to Charlie to let him know she had gone hiking. All that was left was her raincoat and hiking boots.

Prepared. I'm prepared. Today is the day. I will find that damn meadow if it's the last thing I do.

After two hours of traipsing through the woods, Bella was beginning to think the area looked familiar. A fallen tree laying off to the side triggered memories of being carried through the forest on Edward's back. Before she could go too far down the line of thought, she shook her head and pressed on.

The meadow. That's what matters.

Bella began to follow a trail intuitively, occasionally pulling out the compass to make sure she wasn't accidentally heading back to her truck. She came across a particularly dense patch of trees, covered with heavy, hanging mosses, and looked for a way through them. While she didn't exactly remember doing so with Edward, it was safe to assume that the vampire had simply been able to dash around it quickly or had jumped over it entirely.

She weaseled her way over and under roots thicker than her own body and realized this area of the forest was quite old. She paused for a few moments, resting atop a sturdy branch to listen to the sounds around her.

Peaceful.

Though some birds had migrated south for the winter, those that remained were either saving their energy for the coming night or were hiding from the loud human tromping through their habitat. Either way, it was a nice and quiet spot to eat one of her sandwiches. When she was finished, Bella stood and continued, knowing she couldn't be more than a half-hour or so off.

Or, not.

Another hour passed before Bella spotted an opening in the trees ahead of her. Driven by excitement, she was running, scrambling over roots and cutting through the overgrowth without giving it a second thought. Whippy branches snagged and tore the soft flesh of her face, leaving the tang of blood to hover in the air around her head.

Shit.

Bella's brain was slowly replaced with what felt like cotton-balls; a seemingly endless fluff that pressed against the backs of her eyes. She was close to fainting, nearly overtaken by the clouds in her head but she focused her attention forward.

Forward. Just keep going.

The girl staggered through the tree line abruptly, not entirely sure if she had actually been walking or stumbling. She bent at the waist and rested her hands against her knees. The suffocating humidity was trapped within the woods behind her and Bella sucked in a gasping breath of the clear, open air. Eyes closed, she turned her face into the cool breeze, letting it chase away the scent of blood.

Bella studied her surroundings once she felt more coherent. There was no mistaking it; the clearing before her was the meadow.

She took a step forward and very nearly lost her balance.

I should probably sit down.

There was a tree that stood apart from the tree line ahead of her. It wasn't exactly centered in the meadow, but it wasn't part of the woods surrounding it either. It also wasn't any closer than the trees at her back, but it was the only tree that was surrounded by open air and away from the mist that would cling to and smother her.

Inch by inch, foot by foot, Bella made her way to it, falling to her knees and crawling with her eyes closed for the tail end of her journey. When her hand hit bark, Bella unhooked her backpack from her shoulders and wedged her back against the tree trunk.

She wrapped her arms and legs around her bag and turned her head to rest her cheek against it. The surface roots and earth beneath her felt solid, and slowly, oh so very slowly, her brain was able to process that she wasn't falling, she wasn't spinning.

Bella lifted her face carefully from the pack and opened it. She picked out a protein bar and ate it slowly, remembering that the energy would help her brain to right itself further.

She gazed out at the meadow, taking in the dead, browned leaves and flattened stalks of what were once beautiful, thriving flowers. For a few moments, Bella was saddened by the sight. The thought of comparing them to her relationship with Edward— here one minute, gone the next— flashed through her mind and Bella almost laughed at the angsty morbidity. It had become easier, with each passing day, to be mad for how he had left her, and mourning for these flowers that were only a visual analogy was a waste of energy.

A flicker of movement from across the clearing caught her eye, and once again, Bella felt faint. She couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, couldn't think with a pair of deadly orange and crimson eyes glued to hers.

As though the sky decided to mirror the ominious scene unfolding below it, dark clouds tinged with hints of yellow and green from the sun high above rolled in overhead.

"Hello, Isabella," the vampire's deep rumbling voice addressed her.

"Laurent."

"So, you do remember," he said, sounding pleased he wouldn't have to reintroduce himself.

The air pressure changed, and the nostalgic scent of a storm hit her nose. While it didn't rain often in the south, there were, of course, thunderstorms in the desert. The air smelled electric and gave Bella a boost of energy.

If I'm going to die, there's no need to play along, is there?

"Just how poor do you think human memory is?"

"Ah, but memories can be a tricky thing. They can bring joy, anger, love, fear, and, of course…pain." He spoke slowly, drawing out Bella's clear anticipation for information. "Humans and vampires alike can block their memories, lock them away to avoid that pain. Yet, it is for the pain you repress that I am here."

Bella wasn't sure she followed his logic and held her tongue, hoping he would divulge more.

"Tell me, Isabella— are you in pain? Because Victoria so desperately wishes for it."

Victoria. How could we forget about her?

She didn't answer him. Couldn't answer him. And what did it matter? She was going to die either way.

A rumble of thunder sounded from above, booming in the clearing.

"You look like you're in pain," he continued and trailed his fingers from his forehead down to his cheeks. "But not nearly enough."

The blood.

The reminder sent her stomach rolling, and for a split second, she thought she was going to fall down— then remembered she was still sitting. Bella slid one hand from her bag to rest on the exposed roots of the tree in an attempt to ground herself in her flesh.

"I've been sticking to the vegetarian diet for the most part since meeting the Denali coven. It was my intention to simply break your neck, but I fear the temptation, now that I've seen it, smelled it, is too great."

Bella's eyelids fluttered and Laurent's hand was wrapped around her neck. Her head slammed against the tree behind her; the sound cracked through her skull, reverberating through her entire being, and then she was hit with a blast of heat.

This must be what dying feels like.

A gasp from in front of her pulled her back to reality and Bella opened her eyes to see just what could have startled a vampire. Laurent was ablaze, burning up more quickly than she ever could have imagined possible. Plumes of smoke and ash, the only evidence the vampire had been there, swirled around her and clung to the inside of her nose and throat like incense made of death itself.

The sound she assumed was her skull cracking must have been a bolt of lightning shattering the atmosphere to strike this tree in particular. Bella was relieved to find that she was fine, but there, just under her hand, was a glow emanating from underneath the rough bark. The ancient tree was burning from within…and yet, there was no smoke.

Bella jerked her hand away from the tree just as beams of impossibly bright light shot through thinner sections of bark and into the meadow. The tree was being overpowered, consumed by the light and then, all she knew was white and falling.

Something tapped rhythmically against Bella's side and she registered the soft, rippling tickle of long grass against her hands. The sun warmed her hair and the back of her head but the relaxation the heat brought was short-lived.

She quickly twisted away from whatever had been trying to get her attention and jumped unsteadily to her feet. She remained crouched as her eyes adjusted to the bright light that wakefulness offered and prepared herself to fight Laurent.

Isn't Laurent is dead?

Instead of the cold meadow with remnants of vampire floating in the air, an older man was sitting on the ground in what appeared to be a field with an expression of cautious kindness on his face. He spoke to her with gentle words, but Bella couldn't understand him.

Either I hit my head so hard that I can't interpret speech, or he isn't speaking English.

After a few blinks, she could see that the object that tapped her awake was a walking stick. The man was clothed in what could only be described as robes with a sash at the waist. The fabrics were varying shades of olive that seemed to compliment his golden-brown eyes and warm skin-tone. Bella's eyes were drawn to his smile, framed as it was by a grey beard that fanned out into artful looking points.

"I don't know what you're saying," Bella rasped. She realized her throat was dry and she placed a hand to her neck. The action caused her more pain than she anticipated until she remembered that the vampire had grabbed her by the neck.

The man frowned for a moment then reached for a ceramic pot that sat in front of him. He poured a steaming liquid into two cups and set one on the other side of the kettle.

It was very clearly for her, but Bella wasn't so sure she should be accepting beverages from strangers, especially when she didn't even know where she was.

Am I dead?

She was horrified by the thought, and her change of expression startled the man before her.

"Sorry," she said quickly and raised her hands in what she hoped was a universal gesture of meaning no harm.

Bella closed the short distance she had put between them and sat down near her backpack and offered cup.

The man smiled warmly and took a sip from his cup and nodded at her to do the same. Bella studied him for a moment, and something in her wanted to trust him.

Well, he drank first, so it probably isn't poison.

Bella inhaled gently above the cup and sighed the aroma back out. The scent of fresh was immediately comforting. The liquid was clearly some sort of tea, and she took a grateful sip. It warmed her quickly, and she had to set it aside to remove her now-dry raincoat. She stuffed it in her bag and settled in to enjoy her tea.

They drank in silence, acclimating to each other's presence. Bella wasn't sure what to do when she finished, so she set her cup nearer to the pot and lowered her head in what she hoped would be interpreted as a thank you. She sat upright and waited for the man to say something.

He frowned, considering her for a moment before pointing to himself. "Iroh."

Bella was excited that he had found a way to communicate with her and pointed back at herself. "Bella."

Iroh smiled and nodded his head as a means of official greeting and Bella did the same. He studied her again and after a moment spread out his fingers and fanned them across his face.

Bella understood immediately— he wanted to know what happened to her face.

She raised her hand hesitantly and felt the rough flaking of dried blood. With a grimace, Bella turned to unzip her backpack and withdrew a bottle of water and the first aid kit. She opened it to find some gauze and wet it so she could wipe the blood from her torn flesh.

The coppery tang was renewed once the blood was no longer dry and Bella did her best to fight the waves of nausea that threatened to overtake her. A gag broke free from her lips and she had to stop cleaning herself to lean over to the side.

Iroh shifted his weight and Bella's eyes snapped open to focus on him. He extended a hand toward her for the bottle of water, then mimed tilting his head back and pouring it on his face.

Bella nodded and passed the bottle over before leaning back. She pulled her hair out of the way with one hand, , drew in a deep breath, and plugged her nose with the other.

He poured the water over her face and the gauze returned, wiping over her skin gently to reveal the cuts and gouges underneath. Another wave of water splashed over her and then she heard the sound of another package of gauze opening. Her face was blotted dry and then she heard him retreat.

When she opened her eyes, the gauze and wrappers were in a pile before him and burning into nothing but ashes. Bella raised her eyebrows at the sight and Iroh met her gaze.

He gave a soft chuckle and said something she didn't understand. Remembering their communication differences, he tilted his head back and gave a quiet howl.

Animals. Things that crave blood. I should be familiar with the concept of burning bandages.

Bella nodded her understanding and sighed. She searched through her first aid kit for some alcohol wipes and antibiotic cream. Her face was quickly treated, with only minimal wincing at the sting of the sanitizer before she returned her supplies to their proper places.

Iroh was looking at the container with curiosity, though he clearly understood the purpose as he watched her use it. He looked at the water bottle in his hands and gave it a small squeeze, amused by the way it crinkled. He looked up to her and shrugged, asking for the purpose.

"Oh," Bella realized out loud. "You probably think it's medicine since I used it on my cuts."

Bella tapped the side of her teacup then extended her hand for his. After a moment of hesitation, he passed it over along with the bottle of water. She poured the remainder evenly between their two cups and offered it back for him to drink from.

It was his turn to hesitate to take a drink from a stranger and waited for her to take the first sip. Bella smiled and downed the liquid to show it was safe.

He followed suit and gave a laugh, then pulled a large, cloth-covered canteen from a bag she hadn't noticed sitting in the tall grass behind him.

Bella nodded and passed the cup she drank from back to its owner.

Iroh stowed them in his bag and stood in front of her. He extended his hand to help Bella come to a stand. When she was straighted out, he gave a sweep of his arm, gesturing the direction he was going.

It was time for her to make a choice.

The choice wasn't as difficult to make as Bella would have thought, really.

Follow tea-man or be eaten by howling creatures in the night.

She spent the hours of afternoon sunlight walking with her new companion. He pointed things out to her, telling her the names as though she were a child learning how to speak; because in many ways, she was.

Thankfully, this method of travel left her plenty of time to think. Think of how she got here. Think of where, exactly, here was. Think of Laurent. Think of Victoria. Think of Edward. Think of dying. Think of the tree. Think of the freefall.

Somehow, Bella had been dropped…somewhere else. Whether she had died, was teleported by aliens, or vanished in a puff of magical smoke, she truly had no idea.

Not that it matters which. I'm here and don't really have a choice to not be.

Their journey brought them to a small cave that housed the remnants of a fire at its mouth, what appeared to be two rolled up sleeping bags, and a few random tools and food things for meal preparation.

Iroh gestured for the girl to sit and relax and expertly kindled the fire to combat the chill of the evening. He created a sort of vegetable soup in a pot and dished her up without comment.

It was surprisingly delicious, and just what Bella needed after the long day. When they finished, the girl unzipped her backpack and withdrew a package of peanut butter cups to split with him. They were interrupted by the approach of a man that looked to be close in age to Bella, if not a smidge older.

Startled, she jumped up and smacked her head against the roof of the cave.

"Fuck! Ow! Dammit!"

Bella stumbled to the stone wall and slid down it to rest. She rubbed gently at the tender spot, hoping against hope that the older man knew the younger or at least wasn't conspiring with the newcomer to murder her.

The younger man looked at her, his eyes roaming over the scratches on her face and the bruises on her neck, and was upon the older man in a flash.

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