On a less relative note: what's up with all the Zuko/Sokka fics? Also, I may or may try writing the lemony part of the fic and post it on my deviantart site. I'm sort of bad when it comes down to erotic fiction. – ZeroSoul

muted fate, chapter VI: we can live like jack and sally

'Aang, I'd like you to meet my mother,'

Aang gazed up at the woman. She looked exactly like Katara, except her expression was older and she looked wiser. Her hair was long, silky, and flowing. She smiled at Aang and waved a scaly hand to him.

'Hello, Aang. Sokka told me a lot about you,' said Sokka's mother, 'I was wondering if I would ever meet any of the Avatars,'

Aang smiled and bowed, 'It's a pleasure to meet you, miss,'

'See, Aang? All I've ever wanted is to be with my mother. I can't go back now,' Sokka said to Aang.

Sokka's mother looked at him, 'Go back where?'

'You'll understand, miss,' Aang said, 'Katara's in trouble. A bad spirit called The Shadow is after her and is going to kill her unless I help her somehow but I need to figure out a way to go back and I can't do this alone,' Aang sent a pleaded look to Sokka, but Sokka turned his head away.

'I can't, Aang, I'm sorry,' Sokka said, 'And anyways, there's no way to go back,'

Sokka's mother paused, '…yes, there is a way…'

Sokka turned to his mother, 'Mother…? You know–'

'I have been in heaven for a long time and I hear things – many things,' said Sokka's mother, 'You can go back to the mortal realm as an imp or goblin or ghost but you will have to bargain with the Devil in order to do so,'

Aang gulped, '…the Devil? As in…I have to go down to Hell?'

Sokka's mother nodded, 'Yes,'

Aang paused, 'How do I get there?'

'You'd have to bargain with Thanatos I suppose,'

'AGAIN? But I already owe him a favor!'

Sokka's eyes widened, 'Aang! You didn't!'

'Didn't what?' Aang asked.

'Having you owe Thanatos a favor is a dangerous thing, Aang! He could ask for anything from you!' Sokka said.

Aang's eyes widened, 'I didn't know…'

Sokka slapped his forehead, 'Aang! I can't believe you would be so reckless!'

Aang was about to reply when something flashed in the corner of his eye. He turned around to see a doorway had appeared. The doors opened and Thanatos stepped out of them.

'It is time, Avatar Spirit,' Thanatos said.

Aang sighed, 'Alright, I'm coming,' Aang waved good-bye to Sokka and his mother. 'It was nice to meet you,'

'It was a pleasure meeting you,' said Sokka's mother.

Aang then followed Thanatos through the door.

Katara was lying in her bed…as usual. The doctors had stated that her body was in a very delicate condition (and she was filled to the brim with emotion tampering hormones as well) and that she should lie in bed for at least a few more days before going out. Katara had grumbled at the news at first but found staying in bed to be nice and easy. Her meals were brought to her (hot) and she had things to read and do.

There was a knock at the door. Katara was reading.

"Come in," Katara said pleasantly. She then saw Zuko and Uncle enter. She glared at Zuko and snapped her book shut, "Oh, it's you,"

"It wasn't my idea to come here," Zuko answered, looking just as unfriendly to Katara.

"Cut it out the both of you and listen," Uncle said, "Katara, you're with child right now, so we're going to need to go into town and get provision for you. In the meantime, I would suggest that you two tell everyone else you're married,"

Zuko and Katara looked at each other with hostility.

"No way am I gonna pretend to marry this asshole," Katara said.

"I would rather pluck out my eyebrows, pull out my tongue, gouge my eyes, and chop off my arm with a dull knife," Zuko said.

"Like or not, it would pretty bad if the son of Fire Lord Oza – even if exiled – knocked up a girl his own age," Uncle said.

"Wouldn't it look bad in or out of marriage?" Zuko said.

Uncle sighed and rubbed his temples, in irritation "You two make a great couple,"

"WE'RE NOT A COUPLE!" Zuko and Katara yelled.

"You're going to be a couple of parents in nine months," Uncle answered.

"Not exactly," Zuko said, "What if she miscarries?"

"Prince Zuko!" Uncle said sharply.

Katara glared at Zuko, "You're a bastard,"

"All I'm saying is that you're young and I'm young as well," Zuko answered, "It's not uncommon for a woman to lose a child in their first pregnancy. For all we know you could miscarry tomorrow," He directed the last comment to Katara.

Katara suddenly whapped Zuko across the face – right where his scar was. Zuko stumbled back – mainly from shock, partially because no one had ever dared to hit him across where the scar had been.

"You…you hit me!" Zuko choked. He gingerly touched the bruise on his face.

Katara glared at Zuko, "Get out," She yelled. "GET OUT NOW!"

Zuko got up and left the room, not even taking a second glance at Katara or Uncle.

Aang had arrived back in the grim boring place of the Avatar spirits. As soon as he entered, the key he had held disintegrated. The other spirits didn't seem to have noticed he was gone. That was except Iwatansei. As soon as Aang entered, Iwatansei floated over to him.

'Where have you been, young Avatar?' Iwatansei asked.

Aang shrugged a little, 'I went to go see a friend of mine in Heaven,'

'A friend? Wait, how did you get past Thanatos?' Iwatansei said.

'I'm…sort of in debt to him. I owe him a favor,'

'That's a dangerous entity to be in debt to, Aang,'

Aang nodded, 'Yeah, I know,'

Iwatansei raised an eyebrow, 'You do realize who Thanatos is, right?'

Aang nodded again, 'Yeah. He's in charge of all the realms and stuff and guards the door,'

'Thanatos does do that, but he has another occupation. I believe you call him "The Grim Reaper" or simply "Death". Thanatos gives death to those who need it and brings it to them on swift wings. He could ask you to kill someone for him and that person could be anyone – even someone in your family or one of your friends. He could ask you to go down to Hell for him and guide some souls that had just repented for their sins up to Heaven. Or he could send you to the Devil as a messenger and we all know how the Devil loves to kill messengers. That is why it is dangerous to ask a favor from him. Do you understand?'

'I see,'

Aang suddenly felt something was watching him. He turned around and jumped back in shock since Thanatos had appeared right behind him.

'Young Avatar,' Thanatos said, 'you are in debt to me and I therefore call upon that favor you owe me,'

Aang turned to Thanatos, 'What do you want then?'

'Go down to Hell for me,' Thanatos said. He gave Aang a key that was dark red, as if it was made of crystallized blood, 'and tell The Devil that she can send up a spirit named Ren to Heaven. He has repented enough,'

Aang gulped, 'I…have to go down to Hell?'

Thanatos didn't reply. The door besides him opened wide and wind rushed out carrying fire and brimstone with it. Aang gulped and wondered how The Devil looked as he went through the doors and down to Hell.

"I figured I would find you here," said Uncle as he approached his nephew.

Zuko was on the deck of the ship, looking out at the waves crashing against the nearby shoreline of a village. 'They don't know how lucky they are. They don't have to deal with this hellish adventure,' Zuko thought. He stroked his finger along the smooth surface of the railing he was leaning against.

"She can't hate you forever," said Uncle.

"She might not hate me forever but she hates me now," Zuko answered. He then gripped the railing, "What should I care how she feels about me? It's not like it was my fault we're in this mess. I don't even remember going to bed with her!"

Uncle sighed, "You're both young. You'll work it out eventually, but you're bot going to have to face the fact that the baby is going to bind you two together for the rest of your lives,"

Zuko snorted, "Who says I won't leave? Who says I won't drop her off on some remote island somewhere and leave her there and never see her again?"

Uncle smiled a little, "Because I know you won't do any of that – no matter how scared you are of what is going. You don't have it in you," He walked over to his nephew and patted him on the back. "Though I would suggest that you to be a little bit more…gentle…with her when you speak. She's just as scared as you are,"

Zuko grumbled, "I'm still not sharing a room or bed with her,"

"Have it your way," answered Uncle. He then walked away, "you two will come around to it eventually,"

'Eventually…everything happens eventually…' Zuko thought.

But what if nothing happened eventually? What if they were like this forever – even after the baby was born, even it grew from a baby and into a child…a youth…an adult…would Katara and him still bicker? Would they still hate each other despite the life they had created together? Maybe they would. Maybe there was no true way around the fact that they were too different. Too far apart to come together and act like they were in love. Too much hatred and bad blood between them to care for each other or even be in each other's presence.

Was that the truth? Was the cold truth?

'I don't know what to think anymore,' Zuko thought with a sigh. The sun was going down. It was getting dark. Dinner would be served soon.

Then he would go to sleep in his room and in his bed and Katara would go to sleep in her room and her bed. And they would be on the same ship but they would never come together to talk, to speak, or even to comfort when she was feeling ill with the child.

Icy. Cold. Alone. Together but separate. Here but apart. Bound by an unborn child, but separate in heart.

'Maybe that's the way its supposed be,'

Hell turned out what Aang had expected it to be. It was a fiery place with large spires sticking out of the ground and thousands of demons torturing souls with not only pitchforks but with other shark implements. He was at the top of a hill watching everything go on below him. Aang then chose to cautiously float down through Hell. Sulfur, smoke, and steam drifted up from the deepest pits and fires burned constantly.

It was Hell after all.

Aang continued drifting downwards along the rocky and fiery path in front of him, 'Now, how do I find The Devil?'

He figured that The Devil would be at the bottom of Hell probably…or was it the top so that he could survey things? Aang let out a sigh – this was going to be harder than he thought originally. Suddenly, some winged crimson skinned demons grabbed him and pulled him aside.

'Yummy. A tasty soul for us to pick apart,' said one demon.

'His aura is blue. That means he'll be extra tasty,' said another demon.

'Hey! Let go of me!' Aang said as he tried to break free from the demons' grasp. The demons held tight onto Aang's spirit, 'I said LET GO!'

Aang sent a gust of air towards the demons. The demons backed away shrieking. It was apparent they were unfamiliar with Bending. Aang hovered in mid air and stared at the demons as they flapped away from him.

'What was that all about?' Aang said.

'Don't you know? All Benders go to heaven,' said a voice behind him.

Aang turned around to see a woman was behind him. She had curly silver hair, skin the color of coal, two ram horns sticking out of her head, red eyes, pointed ears, hooves for feet, a devilish tail, and bat wings. She wore a necklace of human and animal teeth as well as a semi transparent dark red gown that billowed as she flew in the hair. Her body was covered in swirling tattoos of dragons, skulls, birds, roses, and other things. In one hand, she carried a pitchfork.

'Hi. Uh…do you know where The Devil is?' Aang asked.

The woman laughed – a very light laughter, like the tinkling of a bell. She then smiled at Aang, baring pearly white fangs.

'Little boy, I am The Devil,' the woman said.

Aang's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, 'You're The Devil? But…but you're…a…'

'Girl?' the woman said, still smiling, 'Technically, I'm a hermaphrodite, but I choose this delightful little form because it entertains me so. Now, seeing that you're a Bender and down in Hell – you probably have a message for me,'

Aang nodded meekly, 'About what you said before…is it true? About Benders all going to heaven?'

The Devil smiled, 'Yes, it's very true and it's been that way since the dawn of time – or at least in this universe,' The Devil then explained. 'The ability to Bend comes from the Creatrix Himself and getting better at Bending brings you closer to the Creatrix. Therefore, when a Bender dies he is immediately purified and sent to Heaven,'

'So...Hell is for everyone else?'

'Well, not truly. Hell is for the sinful and the wicked. Sometimes Benders come down here for a little while to repent. Now, what is your business here before I harm you?'

Aang forced a smile. He had originally been afraid of The Devil, but this woman seemed very polite, 'It's from Thanatos. He says–'

'THANATOS?' The Devil exclaimed. She grabbed Aang happily, 'Did he mention me? Did he say anything? Did he? Did he?'

The Devil bouncing up and down with excitement. Aang squeaked out a reply, 'He didn't say much. All he said was that a soul named Ren had repented and it was time for it to go up to Heaven,'

'Oh. That's all?' The Devil said, looking disappointed.

'..that's…all…' Aang said quietly.

'Hmph!' The Devil said, letting go of Aang. She commanded some nearby demons and pointed to Aang, 'Seize him,'

'Hey! Wait!' Aang yelled.

Demons fluttered all around Aang and shackled him with red-hot iron. Aang felt the iron sizzle on his spiritual essence and groaned in pain. The Devil, with an angry look on her face, began to flap away.

'WAIT!' Aang yelled at the top of his lungs. The Devil turned to him a little just to acknowledge that she was paying attention, 'Why is Thanatos so important?'

The Devil snorted and flapped over to Aang so that she faced him. She was tall woman and glared down at Aang, 'Your spiritual essence is going to be obliterated bit by bit by demons soon, so I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to know,' She snapped her fingers and a nail file materialized out of thin air. She then filed her nails and explained. 'I've been after Thanatos since the day I got saddled with Hell and he was in charge of the Realms. Trouble is that Thanatos has been playing hard-to-get with me and keeps sending damn messengers down instead of coming here! And because of the rules, I can't leave Hell unless I'm invited somewhere else by someone!'

'What if I help you?' Aang suggested.

The Devil snorted again, 'As if you could convince Thanatos to talk to me face to face,'

'I bet he really likes you! He's probably just shy!' Aang said, 'Listen, I'm one of the Avatars and Thanatos is always there at the door in that realm! I can invite you there!'

The Devil paused in thought and glared at Aang, 'According to the laws, I'd have to give you something in exchange though,'

Aang smiled. Here was his chance! 'I need to go back to the mortal realm as a goblin or ghost or anything you have! I was told you could do that for me!'

The Devil smiled widely, 'Is that all?'

'That's all,' Aang said.

The Devil smiled even more and made the motions for the demons to unchain Aang. She gripped Aang's hand and continued smiling.

'Mr. Avatar, you have a deal,' The Devil answered.

Zuko walked up on deck. He had been wandering around the ship – not saying too much and not looking at anybody – once in a while touching the bruise on his face. He then saw a figure standing right nearby the edge of the deck. He saw in the pale moonlight it was Katara. She was staring out into the endless ocean.

For a moment, Zuko stood – as if frozen in time – staring at her, wondering what he should do. (Go speak to her.) But she hated him. (GO SPEAK TO HER) She said it herself! She said she hated him! She would hate him during the pregnancy and she would hate him after the child was born and she would hate him until

(forever ends)

the end of time. Maybe longer. Maybe she would hate him until they both died or maybe until she died. Could hate last that long? Maybe...

"Oh. It's you," Katara said. Her voice was meant to sound neutral, but there was still a hue of hostility towards him.

Zuko chewed his upper lip and forced out a few words of conversation, "You shouldn't be out of bed,"

"I can still walk," Katara answered, huffing, "and I've in bed for almost a week,"

Zuko paused, "Katara, I…I'm so–"

No. Stop. Don't say it. There was no way to apologize. There was no way to say "sorry" unless you could turn back the clock and that was impossible.

"It's not fa–" Katara said.

She then stopped herself. Yes, it was his fault. It was him that was him in bed. It was his child. It was his fault. It was her fault. It was their fault.

The conversation had dissipated and there was silence going between them.

Eventually, Zuko turned away and left the deck.

Katara thought back for a moment about how when she was younger. She had imagined things. (A wedding.) Great things for her (A beautiful wedding with flowers and sunshine and happiness.) and the man she would love (and their child they would have after time and their happy little house and all the laughter the house would be filled with).

This was not her dream.

On a unrelated note: A funny thing happened to me today. I was sleeping and then all of a sudden "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground came on the radio and I woke up and started singing along like half-awake, half-asleep and then when it was done I fell back asleep. Now, the song's been stuck in my head all day. - ZeroSoul