Arrival of the Comet
AN: Hallo, there! I'm finally back, and ready to type! This is my last real chapter, but there will be an epilogue coming out, too! Thank you for all of your nice reviews, and here's the chapter! Enjoy!
After the joyful reception, Zuko and Katara, hand in hand, stood by the exit gate, wishing everyone good night and safe travels.
Finally, after everyone had gone, Zuko and Katara joined up with their friends still here—Haru, Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Gran Gran—to chat.
Aang would begin Earthbending the next morning, and for now they simply would relax—their stomachs full of delicious, rich cake (five-layered chocolate with icing in the center, and whipped cream atop it around the circular edge, enclosing the wedding figures of Katara and Zuko) and wine, sitting down to settle their cramps of dancing on a full stomach.
"Wow." Katara stated, smiling.
Aang nodded, recalling the great time he had experienced—dancing with Katara for his 1st time. It had been amazing, feeling her body move with his in the form, and dipping and twirling her around, her light body following graciously. But the dance and party was over, and it was time to move on, and to think about the things to come.
"The comet it coming in 3 weeks, Aang. You should get some rest so you'll be ready to train tomorrow." Sokka said in an adult-like voice.
"Who're you to tell me that?" Aang retorted, angry that everyone but him would—AGAIN—get to stay up late.
Sokka was about to reply, when Katara agreed, "Actually, you should get to bed, Aang, you have a big day tomorrow."
Aang pouted like the child he was, but nodded, slouching off to his room, not a thought of sleep in his entire head. He'd rather eat a hog-monkey than waste time sleeping while all the older folks chattered away through the night until the morning came.
In fact, he would not even go to his room! Instead of doing what Katara told him—and Sokka, but who cared about him?—Aang hid behind a statue and listened to them talk.
Zuko relaxed against the back of the couch, his back to Aang and his left arm around Katara, drawing her close to him.
Sokka shook his head at this, and said, "Whatever."
Zuko ignored this and said, "I realize that our prisoner—Jet—is still alive. What shall we do about the impudent wench?"
Sokka rolled his eyes, bored and tired, saying, "no one cares about him—just kill him! One less mouth to feed."
"Speaking of mouths to feed, Sokka, you should really stop pigging out at the kitchens every day. I mean, there IS a reason our body THROWS UP! And flush the public toilet when you do, please!" Katara said.
Sokka glared at her, so tired he was even more cranky than usual, and then abruptly stood up and stomped off to bed, not even noticing as he walked past Aang, who hadn't even realized Sokka was coming his way, and slid behind the statue with an "Eek!" that Sokka heard, but thought nothing of, for his tired body needed rest—to refresh his stuffed body of his double—sized pig-out.
Haru, Zuko and Katara were left, and Zuko said, "Would you like to stay longer in the Fire Nation, Haru, or leave with Katara's grandmother? They have a ship leaving in 4 weeks."
"Err…I'll leave then." Haru stated, and then added, "I want to watch Aang defeat the comet."
Zuko nodded, and Haru left for his room, a guard showing him a one personally.
"Want to sleep in my room tonight, Katara?" Zuko asked his wife lovingly.
"Sure!" Katara said as Zuko smiled a bit slyly, and Katara did the same.
Arm-locked, the newly married couple walked to Zuko's room, eyes of Aang following them secretly, yet ceased when Zuko walked into the room, locking the door after him.
Katara looked at him questioningly for this, and he simply said, "For your safety!" and she nodded.
"I'll go change and wash up, Zuko." Katara offered, walking into the bathroom and grabbing a red robe.
She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, and pulled off her dress, careful not to tear it, and when she found no where to put it, she opened the door slightly and threw it onto the only bed.
And just as she closed the door, she saw Zuko look at her, but turn away as he accidentally found out she was undressed, and she found the same for him—on the top, where his bare, muscled chest shown for a second until Katara closed the door.
Her back to it, she held a towel in front of HER bare chest and gasped from the awesomeness of it all. She pulled the other robe around her body, and tied it, and then brushed her teeth, washed her unblemished face, brushed her smooth hair, and washed her hands squeaky clean, opening the door again, revealing Zuko with a towel around his waist and a toothbrush in one hand.
"H-hi! Sorry!" Katara said, tearing her eyes off of his awesome chest, having a sudden urge to kiss him, so she did!
Appalled, Zuko started, but then leaned forward and kissed her back.
"Okay, well, I'm going to take a shower. See you in a second!" Zuko said, still happy about the "good night kiss".
"M-kay!" she answered, sliding past him and climbing into the already warm bed, waiting for Zuko to return.
About 10 minutes later, he walked back in with a black robe tied around him, and climbed into the bed next to her.
She hugged him happily, and was about to fall asleep when she felt his warm hand around her waist.
She snuggled against him, and then untied her own robe, threw it to the floor, and snuggled against him even closer, trusting him with all her heart.
Zuko took this as a sign for him to do the same, and he also untied and pulled off his black robe, throwing it on the floor.
Then they hugged, and went to sleep, Zuko's hand wrapped around Katara's soft body.
The next morning, Aang walked out of his room and toward the courtyard, where master Haku was standing all professionally.
"We shall be going to where the earth has a more generous supply and it is not against the law to meddle with it." He said, motioning for Aang to follow him.
"Whatever." Aang said solemnly, still recalling last night's events.
At a place filled with—dirt, they started to train.
Katara had slipped on a blue dress, and was exploring the castle.
Hmm…she thought as she passed by the dungeons, recalling their conversation last night about Jet, and decided to check on her—yes, HER— prisoner.
Mainly commoners were who she passed by. And they looked up at her as she walked past them—their bodies dirty and ragged, and themselves—hopeless.
At the middle cell, she heard a voice growl, "Katara."
Stunned, she flipped around to see Jet!
Dirty, sickly, and smelly, Jet wearily was slumped against the side of the cell, glowering at her with unbearable hatred.
Katara stared back, hardly a foot away from the bars of his cold, metal cell.
Suddenly, Jet leapt up, and reached through the bars, grabbing her arm.
Katara screamed shortly, but was yanked toward him, his other hand coming over her mouth.
With her back pulled tightly against the bars, and Jet right behind her, twisting her arm painfully behind her back, she had no means of escape.
"Get me out of this, and no one gets hurt." Jet hissed in her ear.
"Why should I believe YOU! You're my prisoner, anyway!" Katara said, struggling to free herself.
"Actually, it's quite the other way around!" Jet whispered back venomously.
"Let her go!" A voice yelled, and Katara's and Jet's heads both flipped around to the entry way—Katara's with glee, Jet's with horror, as they saw Zuko!
"Take one step closer and your girlfriend dies!" Jet said cruelly, his hands in a position ready to snap Katara's neck if Zuko took one false move.
Zuko stepped forward, and Jet's hands flinched, and he would have actually killed Katara if Zuko hadn't shouted out, "Wait! What do you want for her?"
"Zuko, no!" Katara shouted painstakingly.
"Shut up, wretch!" Jet said, smirking, and turned to Zuko and said, "she dies, or you die and set me free."
Katara would not let anything happen to Zuko, and she also didn't really wish to die herself, so, with all the energy she possessed, running on pure hatred of Jet, Katara gathered up all forms of water from all around her, brought it to herself, and performed the strongest water whip over her shoulder, knocking out Jet before he could do anything.
She felt his hands loosen his grip on her, and then totally fall off of her, and she ran over to Zuko, hugging him.
He hugged her back, saying, "Katara, you need to be more careful from now on."
Katara smiled saying, "Who are you, my mother?"
Zuko grinned back and they left the uncomfortable dungeons quickly.
(2 weeks later)
A night before the comet, and the tension everyone had was unbearable.
Aang was meditating in his room, preparing for the enormous event coming so soon.
He had mastered Earthbending—1 5-hour five hour session a day, having almost no time to relax, as he was almost always at incessant, strenuous training—or sleeping. He was as ready as could be.
That night, Zuko and Katara sat in their king—sized bed, Zuko's hand wrapped around Katara's thin waist, both not getting to sleep.
The entire world depended on tomorrows and what the outcome would be, and every person depended on Aang.
Moments of silence passed, the clocks seemed to be set to run half as fast.
Finally, it was almost 1:00 in the morning, and Katara finally drifted off to a light sleep, though Zuko still was awake.
…
It was finally the morning, and Zuko didn't even sleep in even though he had stayed up so late, he wasn't sure if he had slept at all.
It was the morning of the comet.
No one was smiling in the morning—not that anyone was awake at 6:00, but same difference!
And poor Aang forced down some cold cereal, trying to choke it down past the enormous lump in his throat.
Instead of the clocks seeming to be bewitched to run half as fast, now they seemed to run TWICE as fast!
Before they knew it, it was noon—lunchtime—then 2:00…then 3:00…then 4:00…then 5:00…and then, 6:00.
Aang wobbled on his skinny, nervous legs, and out to the courtyard, where there was earth and a stream, and plenty of space for bending—he could see that everyone had tried to help him as much as they could, but no one could truly get him out of this unbearable situation.
Aang sighed, and then breathed deeply in…and out…and got ready.
Zuko held tightly onto Katara's arm as the group of Sokka, Iroh, Haru, Zuko, and Katara were gathered for this…occasion, even though they hadn't interacted much over the past few weeks, this was a good chance to bring everyone together.
The group backed away as it was time.
Aang whirled some air and earth around him, lifting him up toward the skies, giving one last sad look at Katara as if this was the end of the world.
Aang disappeared from view as he soared upward to defeat the greatest threat of the world, and did not return for some time.
The group waited in silent terror, wondering when he would return.
Another hour passed…another half hour, and still no sight of Aang.
Katara just could not imagine her young friend so high up in the skies, fighting with all his power, strength, energy, and determination to defeat the comet once and for all.
And just as another hour was about to pass, there was a spec in the sky, floating down.
Aang floated down to the ground many feet away, and Katara and the rest rushed over to him.
Several lumps of soot floated down around him as his clothes fell back down, hanging limply around his tired body.
Katara asked him, "Did you do it? Did you defeat the comet?"
"Yes, Katara, I did it." Aang said, extremely weak, and then added, "Katara?"
"Yes?" she asked, concerned for her friend.
"There's something I've never told you before. I like you—more than a friend."
"Oh!—Aang!" Katara said softly, surprised, and still worried about her friend's poor state,
"And I tried my hardest—I did it." Aang said wit a strained smile, and then closed his eyes.
For good.
AN: No flames, please, I worked REALLY hard on this, and epilogue is coming out soon! Read and reply, please!