It is believed in some cultures that women can become impregnated by eating roses. So:

"I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey, The more I get of you, Stranger it feels, yeah. And now that your rose is in bloom. A light hits the gloom on the grave. There is so much a man can tell you, So much he can say. You remain, My power, my pleasure, my pain,"

If you know who wrote did that song, you rule. - ZeroSoul

muted fate, chapter V: kissed by a rose

The Waterbender girl had come down with a fever last night and it wasn't breaking. It had to be morning now and Zuko had been up all night with Uncle as the doctors on board of the ship tried to decipher what was wrong with the girl. Of all things, they were checking to see if it was anything contagious. Zuko spent his time in the area sitting on the sidelines of the medical action, avoiding the constant glares of his Uncle.

'Zuko must know,' Uncle thought as he watched the Waterbender groan in pain and cry out under the pressure of the fever. He glanced at Zuko for a minute. The exiled prince was up against the wall of the room, looking a little uncomfortable, like the room had shrunk and the walls were closing in and threatening to squeeze him to death.

Uncle sighed and looked back to the Waterbender. The doctors had given her some herbs to relax her, but the fever was still running high. 'Zuko's mother went through almost the same thing. Fever starting at night and not breaking until much later, coupled with illness in the morning,'

He looked to his nephew. Zuko looked like he was close to fainting. Uncle walked over to him. "Come," Uncle said, "we'll go and get some fresh air,"

Zuko meekly nodded and followed him out the room. They walked down the hallway together and out onto the deck of the ship. There was no land in sight and the only thing around them was miles and miles of ocean.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Uncle.

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked.

"Don't play games, Prince Zuko," said Uncle, "You know as well as I do that the girl is carrying your child," Zuko didn't reply to this statement. "Prince Zuko, I know you and the girl are both very young and even frightened of what is going to happen, but you both have to overcome your fear and support each other,"

"…I'm afraid…" Zuko murmured.

"Fear is natural," Uncle answered. He put a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder, "and I suggest that you do the correct thing and go and talk to the girl,"

Zuko wallowed and shook his head, "She already hates me enough. She wouldn't want to see me,"

"Believe me when I say this, Prince Zuko: she's more scared than you. Pregnancy is a dangerous thing and it could take her life. She's in more mortal danger than you are. It's the role of a man to support and be caring in a situation like this,"

"But that's the problem!" Zuko growled, "I just…I just don't feel anything for her! I mean, I've looked deep down inside of me and I've unburied all my feelings towards her and put aside everything else and…and…just nothing! I just don't feel any sort of affection for her!"

His Uncle took away his hand and folded his arms, "Whether you love her or not, Prince Zuko, she is carrying your child and that means that you two are stuck together, unless either of you chose to run away from the problem,"

Zuko clenched his fist, "No, I won't run this but…" He sighed. "Okay, I'll go talk to her,"

Uncle smiled, "Good,"

Zuko walked from the deck and back down below. Things were going as normal on the outside – soldiers patrolling, navigators checking the maps and making sure they were on course, doctors always on high alert for scurvy or a plague that might kill them all.

Everything was normal on the outside.

But no on the inside.

The Avatar was dead as so was the other boy. A lemur and a bison had been mutilated. No one knew why or how this had all happened.

And worst of all: Katara was carrying his child.

Zuko faced the door of Katara's room. It was now or never – do or die. He swallowed a little, trying to push his fears away. Slowly, he moved his arm and opened the door.

"Kata– OW!"

At this exact moment, a teacup collided with Zuko's head. Zuko was knocked onto the ground. He winced as he touched the bruise on his head. He looked up to see Katara was awake and armed with a hairbrush and another teacup.

"You filthy Firebending son of a bitch!" Katara yelled at him as threw the hairbrush.

Zuko dodged and forced himself off the ground, "What the hell did I do!"

"You fucking know what you fucking did!" Katara yelled and threw the teacup.

The second teacup smashed against the wall. Zuko began to walk over to Katara, "What is your problem? I just came here to talk to you–"

"Don't you come near me!" Katara screamed. Zuko froze in his tracks. Katara glared at him though angry eyes, "Do you know what one those fucking doctors told me? They told me that there was a 'very high chance that I might be pregnant'! Oh, and guess who's the father? YOU!"

A plate slammed into Zuko's chest. He stumbled back and flinched from the pain.

There were tears coming out of Katara's eyes now, "And you…you fucking Firebender…you monster…you caused all of this…I hate you…I despise you…and I wish you burn in fucking hell,"

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT!" Zuko yelled. Katara was silenced by the sudden outburst. Zuko clenched his fist as he spoke, "Listen, Katara, you can hate me all you want but it doesn't change the fact that you're with child, and most of al – my child. There's a rough road ahead for the both of us, but while we're on it, let's make a promise not to kill each other, okay?"

Katara swallowed hard and tears were sliding down her cheeks.

'Gods, say something to her, you moron. She's crying,' Zuko thought. He scratched the back of his head and forced out some (hopefully) assuring words, "Don't…don't cry, Katara, everything should be…alright…"

"…I'm so scared…" Katara said, barely above a whisper, "…they said…the doctors said…I'm so young…I might die in childbirth…"

Zuko could see her face was upset. He walked over to her bed and took her hands into his, "I won't let you die, Katara. We'll get through this together,"

Katara looked him in the eyes and managed to say quietly, "…okay…"

A few seconds passed before the both of them let the reality of the fact that they were boy, girl, and holding hands. They immediately snatched their hands back, as if the other had been infected by leprosy.

"Don't touch me," Katara hissed at Zuko, "ever again,"

'Now isn't THIS little venture going to be fun?' Zuko thought.

Aang's spirit was busy looking at the viewing disc. He saw Katara lying on her bed, looking dazed and confused, and then rushing off to vomit a few minuets later. A little grossed out, he turned away from the viewing disc and began to float around. The other Avatar spirits were doing the usual – floating around, talking, sleeping, or daydreaming. Aang approached one of the Avatar spirits.

'Hey, we're dead right?' Aang asked.

'Aren't you a clever little boy?' huffed the Avatar spirit.

'I was wondering…is there a way for us to visit the other dead spirits? There's someone I'd like to see,' Aang said.

'It's not that easy, boy,' answered the spirit, 'We're in a realm separate to where the dead go and there's different levels of death – hell, heaven, the different levels of hell, and the middle–'

'The middle?'

'That's where those who haven't been bad or good, but more of in the middle, go. Now, if you want to go and see them, you have to go and talk to Thanatos,'

'Thanatos?'

'Don't you know anything? Thanatos is the guardian of these realms. He watches over Hell and these lower realms closer to hell. If you want to get out of here, you have to go and talk to him into letting you get the keys,'

'So…how do I find him?'

The Avatar spirit shrugged, 'Find the door in here,'

Aang sighed, 'Thanks anyways,'

Aang's spirit floated around in the misty darkness. He was supposed to be looking for some sort of door, but the only thing he could see was other Avatar spirits and mist.

'There's nothing around here for miles…how am I supposed to find a door in all of this?' Aang said, thinking out loud, 'I should probably go back…'

Aang was about to turn back around when he saw something shine in the corner of his eye. He looked ahead of him to see a giant double door some feet away from where he was. It was a large stone door encrusted with jewels and engraved with symbols.

Aang floated towards the door, 'So this is the door? Then where's–'

Something rushed from above and stepped in front of the door. It was a tall hooded figure wearing a black tattered cloak and carrying a scythe in one skeleton hand. It had two glowing red eyes and glared at Aang. Aang forced a smile towards the hooded spirit.

'…uh…hi?' Aang said.

'What brings you here to The Gate of Realms?' demanded the spirit.

'You must be Thanatos. I'm Aang and I wanted to–' Aang began.

'NONE SHALL PASS!' barked Thanatos. He attacked Aang, swinging his scythe at him.

'You can't hurt me, I'm dead!' Aang protested.

A few seconds later, Thanatos sliced Aang's spiritual arm off.

'…okay, maybe you can hurt me…' Aang said. He went after the floating arm as ectoplasm ooze from the severed stump, 'One of the spirits said I could bargain with you–'

'None. Shall. Pass.' answered Thanatos as he hovered nearby the doorway entrance.

Aang sighed, 'All I want to do is talk to a friend who's dead right now, is that too much to ask for? It's not all that serious,'

Thanatos paused,'What do you have to give for passage?'

Aang blinked, 'Give? Well…ummm…' He paused. He wasn't sure what he could give something like Thanatos. All his earthly possessions weren't with him at the moment since he was dead. 'What if I…do you a favor or something like that…?'

'A favor? As in you were indebted to me?'

Aang shrugged, 'I guess so,'

Thanatos paused, 'It is done then. Which realm do you need access to?'

Aang shrugged again, 'All I want to go see is my friend. His name is Sokka. He's a little bit older than me and he died right about the same time I did,'

Thanatos searched his memory. He then reached into his cloak and pulled out a key, 'Your friend is in Heaven. Take this key. It will provide you safe passage through the realms,'

'Thanks,' Aang said, taking the key. It felt heavy in his ghost hand.

Thanatos stepped aside and the doors creaked open loudly. Shining light came out of the doorway.

'You have an hour of mortal time before you return here,' Thanatos said.

'Good to know,' Aang said.

Aang went through the door.

"Uncle, it's late at night. What could you possibly want?" Zuko growled.

Uncle was sitting at the table in his room. Zuko was at the door, half-awake. He had been sleeping until a servant came to his door and summoned him to go speak with his Uncle.

"I want to talk to you," said his Uncle.

"While I'm sleeping?" Zuko grumbled as he walked over and took a seat nearby the table.

"I wanted to talk to you at a time so that Katara – or anyone else – wouldn't be awake to hear us," Uncle answered.

"What about the guards?"

"That's why we're not talking right nearby the door or any of the walls. Believe me when I say this, Prince Zuko: servants go everything and they peep in keyholes and listen to the walls. You have to be careful when keeping a secret in such a closed space like this ship where everybody knows everything,"

Zuko blinked, "…okay…why are you telling me this?"

Uncle drummed his fingers for a little while and then sighed.

"Prince Zuko…we may have to go see your father…" Uncle breathed.

"WHAT?" Zuko yelled, standing up. Uncle sighed again and twiddled his thumbs. Zuko glared at him, "Uncle, what's this all about? You know I'm banished from the Fire Nation by Fire Lord Oza. I couldn't return if I wanted to,"

Uncle paused. They sat there in silence for a few minuets until Uncle spoke up again, "You know, Prince Zuko, nothing is more important to your father than his lineage,"

"What are you talking about?" Zuko yelled, "He banished me! If he cared so much about his lineage, he would have kept me around!"

Uncle continued quietly, "Listen to me, Prince Zuko, three things are of great important to my brother, your father, Fire Lord Oza: lineage, pride, and power in his empire. You have been banished, that ruins his lineage, you being the first born male heir. There is no one else left to inherit the empire after your father passes on. Right now, if Fire Lord Oza were to go down in battle, his empire would be up for grabs by anyone with even a drop of his blood or maybe even someone with the power and will for it."

Uncle paused and then continued on, "Fire Lord Oza has been in many battles and after a gruesome battle with the Earth Kingdom, he has been made sterile. You are the only living heir, but you're banished right now," He looked Zuko in the eye. "Tell me, Prince Zuko – if the prince is banished and the king is dead, who will inherit everything?"

Zuko's eyes widened in realization, "…my child would,"

"And that girl you have in there is with child, your child," Uncle said.

"But why tell me this?"

"Prince Zuko…you may have to give up the child to Fire Lord Oza,"

"...what?"

Uncle looked down, "If I know my brother well enough, he'd attack this very ship, kill both you and Katara, and take the child away. He'd hunt you down because that's his heir. His last hope if he dies, and right now in his mind, you're no longer the heir because you're in exile. That child would be his hope,"

Zuko clenched his teeth so hard that he thought they might break under pressure, "Gods damn it! I'll die by fire before I let that bastard take anything from me! It's his own damned fault that I'm here anyways! He only has himself to thank for it!"

Uncle shook his head, "We may not be able to help it, Prince Zuko. A ship is no place for a pregnant woman. We lack provisions and care for something like this. We may have to go and face him,"

Zuko growled and folded his arms. On one hand – he would be able to go back home. On the other hand – his father would just be using him for his own benefit. He touched his scar, a reflex he had built up after time whenever thinking about Fire Lord Oza – his father – and let out a sigh.

"How long will it take us to get back to the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked.

Uncle sighed, "Many weeks at this rate – maybe even longer. We'd have to change our course completely around,"

"So be it," Zuko sighed.

Bright sunlight greeted Aang. He groaned in pain – after being in the darkness of the other realm with the other Avatar spirits – and his eyes had to adjust to the brightness. He was in a forest, thick with trees and life. He saw some spirits drifting around through the area. They were all smiling and happy.

'Excuse me…' Aang said, 'can you help me?'

The other spirits didn't seem to understand, or pay any attention to him. Aang sighed and went on through the forest. He saw some more spirits doing Earthbending as they spun around in a circle – some sort of game.

'This must be heaven for Earthbenders,' Aang said, thinking out loud.

He floated around, meeting more spirits and came to the edge of the forest. Down below were rocky cliffs with a shining ocean at the bottom. Spirits were frolicking in the water like dolphins normally would. Aang then looked from the water and saw a volcano, spewing fire and molten rock. More spirits were hovering around it as well. As if almost taken by instinct, Aang looked up to see spirits going through the clouds.

'A forest for Earthbenders, an ocean for Waterbenders, a volcano for Firebenders, and the sky for Airbenders,' Aang murmured to himself.

Aang let himself drop into the water below him. It was warm and cool down below. He saw several spirits swimming around with fins and gills – a mermaid/merman parody of their former bodies. They had been reborn so that they could fully be with the water. Aang swam around and looked at the different schools of spirits to se if he could spot Sokka.

An aquatic soul swam in front of Aang and he recognized the fish as Sokka. He was swimming among some other spirits his own age.

'Sokka!' Aang called to the spirit, following Sokka's spirit as it swam.

Sokka's spirit stopped swimming and turned around to looked at Aang. He squinted at Aang's face and then looked surprised, 'Aang? You're here! Shouldn't you be with the other Air Nomads?'

'I'm only visiting,' Aang answered, 'I'm in a separate realm with the other Avatar spirits,'

'How is it?' Sokka asked.

Aang grabbed Sokka, 'I'll tell you about it later, Sokka, but we have other problems right now,'

Sokka stared,'Other problems?'

'Sokka, Katara – your sister – is in danger right now,'

Sokka blinked in understanding. His peaceful afterlife had robbed him of feeling pain or knowing of the dangers of the mortal realm, 'How can Katara be in trouble? Isn't she here?'

Aang shook his head, 'Katara didn't die with us that day. She survived. And now she's the Vessel for the new Avatar to come through but there's a problem – there's an angry spirit called The Shadow that's going to try and kill her. Katara's our last hope. If she dies, all is going to be lost. Sokka, we have to go back to the mortal realm,'

Sokka paused and then shook his head, 'No, I…I can't, Aang,'

'…what?'

'Aang, I'm just a spirit now. I couldn't help Katara even if I wanted to. Anyways, I like it here. There's no pain, no anger or hatred – everything's so much more peaceful and happy,'

'But Sokka, I can't do this alone. I–'

Sokka turned to swim away, 'Come on, Aang. There's someone I want you to meet,'

Aang sighed and followed him.

Katara groaned as she woke up from a muddled dream. She had a pounding headache and was still feeling a little feverish. She was bathed in sweat as she propped herself up in bed. What time was it? She didn't know and it was probably best if she didn't know too much at the moment – considering her headache. She looked up at the ceiling, propping her head against the pillow.

Something looked back at her.

Katara sat up in shock as she looked back at the creature. The creature looked like a tiny lizard with bat wings, but it semi-transparent and had eight red eyes. It blinked down at Katara and Katara stared at it.

"…a…spirit?" Katara murmured.

The creature floated down to Katara's bed. It stared at her for a while and then floated through the walls of the room. Katara could only blink.

'That had to be a spirit of some sort,' Katara thought, 'But normal people can't see spirits…'

This was getting more and more interesting.

This fanfic hurts my brain sometimes. For my next fanfic, I think I'll move away from drama and do a romantic comedy instead- just to do something different.- ZeroSoul