Chapter 32
Katara woke with a start, her hand flying to her tight belly. Some long seconds later she gasped as she realized what had just happened. It was much more painful than she had anticipated. Her eyes wide and her mouth agape, Katara debated whether or not to wake Zuko yet. She reached between her legs and determined that her water had not broken and decided it was still fairly early. It had been nearly three months since they had met with the White Lotus and she had known she was close for days. As she lay in the darkness counting the minutes, she considered how glad she was they had decided to wait at least a year. She wanted plenty of time to be fit for fighting before they stormed the Capital again.
"Oh oh hmmm…" Her belly tightened again and she squeezed her eyes shut, breathing through her nose with effort. When it was over she counted, they were four minutes apart. She let out a slow breath and smiled to herself as the contraction ended. By dinner, perhaps sooner, she would be holding her baby. Katara looked over at her slumbering husband and wondered how he would react when she woke him. Zuko was just as anxious to meet their baby as she was. The last three months had seen him grow increasingly insufferable. He hovered and fussed over her as though she were made of glass. Eventually she had had enough and frozen him to the ceiling of their apartment and rather aggressively asked him to lay off. After that he had calmed down, though it may have also had something to do with a few reassuring words from Tarak.
Watching him sleep, his long hair falling across his face, Katara thought about the past nearly three years and how amazingly her life had changed. This man beside her who had once been her enemy was now the keeper of her heart and father of her soon to be born child. Idly, she played with the strand of bone beads he had kept in his hair. She wondered what her mother would think about her choice of husband if she were here. Pushing the hair from her own face, Katara allowed herself a few tears for her mother. Now that she was about to become a mother herself she found she missed her more than ever.
The next contraction was more painful than the last two. She gripped the warm bed linens and groaned, finally waking Zuko. Startling awake at her pained sounds, he blinked slowly at her for only a moment before leaning closer in alarm. He stroked her face as the pain slowly ebbed, his brow creased with concern.
"What's wrong Katara? Are you… Is everything ok?"
Katara nodded but said nothing for nearly a minute, catching her breath. Slowly she stretched her suddenly tense back and turned, making to sit up. Zuko realized what she was trying to do and helped her, supporting her back with his arm. Once she was moderately comfortable, she smiled wearily at him.
"I'm fine Zuko, it's just a contraction." She couldn't restrain her laugh as a look of realization slowly dawned. He looked down at her stomach and back to her face, looks of panic and excitement warring on his own.
"That means… The... the baby is coming?" He seemed to have come to some inner decision as excitement won out, the look of pure joy on his face at her nod nearly making her tear up again. Laughing as he ran a hand through his hair, Zuko cast about the room trying to remember what he should do now. "Um, right." He leant over and kissed her temple before standing and reaching for a shirt. "I'll get Sitka. Do you need anything before I go? Are you sure you're ok?" Not waiting for an answer, he squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. "What did she say… The pains, are they very far apart?"
Katara grunted in frustration as she attempted to stand on her own, accepting his help again.
"I will be fine on my own for a while Zuko. Tell her there are four minutes between… Oh oh uuuhhnnoohh"
Another contraction hit her like a wave. She reached for Zuko's shoulders and gripped them fiercely as she sagged against him, his arms instinctively sliding under hers to brace her. The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt before, tight and powerful and heavy. As the pain clouded her mind, she locked onto Zuko's face like an anchor.
Gradually as the pain passed and she came back to herself, Katara rested her cheek against his chest.
"Four minutes apart, and quite strong. Though I think it will still be some time yet. Help me sit again please." Now sitting on the bed again and readying herself to endure the next contraction alone, she bid him hurry. "Go Zuko, I promise I'll be ok." He cast her one last concerned look before running from their room. She sighed when she heard the front door slam behind him. Resting her head back against the wall, Katara closed her eyes and waited.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
The quarter mile to Sokka's apartment had never seemed so long a distance. All he could think about the whole way as he ran was Katara enduring the agony alone. Logically he knew she would be fine, and that the pains were intermittent rather than constant. Still, he wasted no time.
Sokka looked murderous to have been woken at such an hour when he finally threw open his door. His milk curdling glare dissolved however as soon as he took in the excited panic on his brother in law's face. Zuko was slightly winded from his mad run through town, his chest burned, his mind a maelstrom of emotion.
"Get Sitka... Run for Kanna… the baby… Katara is in labor." When Sokka made no move to do as he'd asked, he growled in frustration and pushed past him into the apartment. Sitka and Natuk were already awake, haven been disturbed by Zuko banging on the door. The healer seemed to know what had him so worked up as she was already tying back her hair and directing her husband to gather a few things for her.
"Everything is going to be fine Zuko, how is she doing? Are the contractions very far apart?"
Zuko was sitting on the edge of a chair while he waited, his knee bounced rapidly as he tried to remember what Katara had told him to say.
"They are four minutes apart and it seemed like they were extremely painful. Are you sure she is going to be ok?"
Sitka patted him on the shoulder reassuringly as she passed him to find her shoes. "Yes dear she is going to be fine. Childbirth is quite painful, but it's a good kind of pain. Once endured, it is most rewarding. Sokka, run to your father's and wake your grandmother. There isn't any need to rush her, it sounds like it will be a while yet. Alright Zuko, I'm ready."
Zuko was out of his seat and through the door before she could say anything else. He carried her things for her but she was not as fast as he had been. By the time they finally made it back to his and Katara's apartment he had been gone merly twenty minutes. Katara was in the doorway to their bedroom. Lower back pressed against one side of the door frame, hands white knuckled on the other, her head hung between her arms as she groaned through another contraction.
Zuko rushed to her side eager to help in some way only to realize he had no idea what to do. Everything that Sitka had told him might be useful had flown out of his head leaving only fumbling panic in the face of her pain. Stroking the hair from her sweat dappled forehead, Zuko murmured comforting nonsense into her ear. As the contraction eased, Sitka joined him and they helped Katara back to their room.
"Thank La you're back. Sitka, this is so much more painful than I imagined it would be. I feel like they are getting more intense and closer together." She was breathing heavily as she leaned against the pillows. Zuko sat beside her and watched in fascination as Sitka reached between Katara's thighs to see how she was progressing.
"Well Katara, you're about half way there. Here, Zuko dear, help me. Lets try another position for the next one."Sitka helped her to stand again but Katara interrupted. Throwing her hands out to push the other women away, she began scrambling to get out of her constricting night dress. As she tugged it off over her head Zuko thought he heard her curse the offending garment. Once it was off, she through her arms around Zuko's neck. He barely had time to wrap his arms around her before she went limp, surrendering to the contraction.
The next several hours were spent in much the same way, Zuko remembered the things Sitka had taught him and was eventually able to contain his panic. As her labor progressed, Zuko noticed the temperature begin to drop and ice forming on the windows. Apparently amidst physical and emotional tumult, Katara had lost all control of her spontaneous bending.
Kanna had gotten there to help her granddaughter some time before and by now Katara was more than ready to be done. After nearly six hours Sitka finally announced that Katara was ready to push. Zuko was suddenly alight with nerves again as Katara huffed and groaned through another contraction. He knelt beside her on the bed, one hand holding hers, the other around her shoulders supporting her.
As he watched her prepare herself for another wave of agony, he was overwhelmed with emotion. Her naked skin glistened with sweat, her face was flush despite the cold temperature and her breaths came in short puffs. Watching her endure this made him realize how desperately he loved her.
"uuuuhhhnnngggghhhh! Oh oh Zuko" tears slid down her cheeks and she tucked her face into his neck, "Make it stop please! I can't do this. I just want my baby." Her words became unintelligible after that as she dissolved into short gasping sobs. Never in his life had he felt so helpless. Unable to take any of her pain away, he settled for murmuring encouragement against her brow.
"You're doing so well. It's almost over Love, just a little longer. You can do this Katara." Katara nodded once and leaned back to look him in the eyes. He marveled as she appeared to rally herself, a look of fierce determination overtaking her despite the tears that still fell down her cheeks. He wondered briefly if she had any idea how powerful she looked just then.
Kanna reached up and gently squeezed her arm and offered her what must have been comforting words in their native language before gesturing to Zuko.
"Come here boy, Sitka will take your place there." When he started to refuse she shook her head and again gestured for him to move. "Here quickly, you will catch your child. See, she is close."
This was it. He gently changed places with Sitka, moving to kneel between his wife's legs. When Kanna pulled her hand away he could indeed see that what she said was true. It was at once the most horrifying and incredible thing he had ever seen. Boy or girl, their baby had plenty of hair.
Shaken from his wide eyed, riveted daze by Katara's voice, Zuko moved his hands as Kanna directed. The old women watched her progress with keen eyes as she held Katara's leg in place and urged her to push. Katara bore down, screaming from the pain.
Suddenly a pinched, pink head slid free. Two shoulders followed, one after the other, leading everything else into his waiting hands.
She was slick and blotchy and so impossibly small. For one long moment Zuko's world compressed and all he could comprehend was the precious, blood-streaked infant in his hands.
His daughter.
Then she found her voice and her furious cry rent the air. Katara was sobbing as she reached for her baby with trembling hands. Zuko obliged, leaning forward he placed the baby girl on her mother's chest. Immediately, Katara was laughing softly as she peppered the tiny head with kisses.
"My baby, oh La I can't believe it!" She ran a finger along one sticky cheek and laughed again. "You're so beautiful, oh my little girl."
Zuko noticed the tears on his own face as he watched his wife cradle their firstborn. Having been gently ushered out of the way so Sitka could finish seeing to Katara he sat beside her on the bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders again and kissed her temple before resting his head against hers. Together they watched their daughter calm against her mother's chest. Reaching out a hand to stroke her silky, damp hair, Zuko marveled at how perfect she was. Their Kya. They'd decided to name a daughter Kya, for Katara's mother.
"Hey there little Kya, I'm your mamma. This handsome guy is your daddy." Katara turned her face to kiss him quickly. "We love you so much sweet one." Resting her cheek against Kya's soft head, she caught Zuko's eye and smiled.
"You are so incredible Katara. I love you." He kissed her then and knew he'd never meant it so much.
A/N I hope you liked it! Update pace update, I have been writing at a slower pace lately and only have 2 chapters pre written atm. However, this is the last week of school so I will have a couple of weeks off work before summer school to stay up later and write after the kids are asleep, and once that's over I'll be free for another month and a half. I am hopeful that I will be able to keep my 2x a week pace and that I'll finish writing before I have to start working again in August. Until Friday!