Chapter 4 One dream leads to another

If it wasn't one thing on the ship it was another thing. Something seemed odd about this one though. It wasn't a social problem or a problem with the Avatar coming in and ruining his whole scheme it was more of a mental problem. It turned out that the dreams Zuko was having weeks before turned out to be getting worse. These dreams started about around the same time he had helped the Avatar escape from Zhao's clutches. Of course it was nothing more than a weekly thing. But since he had kidnapped Katara a week earlier they turned out to be nightly dreams.

Zuko decided it had been from all the training he did. Sometimes he forgot to stop and meditate. And when he'd stay up all night training or reading over something he'd get cranky in the morning taking his anger all out on the nearest person or object. It had cost his uncle a couple of Lotus tiles but it was something that the prince was willing to sacrifice. Of course it caused him to go straight back into training after his sudden out bursts. Katara even started to noticed a difference in the prince's actions and even the way he walked out of his bedroom every morning.

Something was bothering him. And Katara knew it. Something happened every night when he was in his bedroom every night. It must have been something to do with his dreams that he was having. After all occasionally she woke up to someone screaming every night. Katara finally gave into the urge of wondering what was going on in Zuko's room so she followed him in that night.

When Zuko closed the door he came face to face with Katara. Placing his hand over his heart he rolled his eyes and said, "Katara you nearly gave me a heart attack. What do you want?"

Katara smiled and walked over to his bed. "I wanna know what's going on. You seem overly tired and add the fact you wobble out like a duck every morning." Falling back onto the bed she sighed. "A girl could get used to sleeping in a bed like this."

Zuko climbed in next to her. "Well don't it's my bed and as far as I'm concerned you're just a prisoner with a few exceptions."

Katara laid herself across his bed and placed her chin on her hands. "What are you talking about?"

"Simple you're my accuse to get the Avatar and my country back nothing else." Katara titled her head slightly to the side. This caused Zuko to sigh heavily.

He walked over to his dresser and threw both his shoes and shirt in there. He knew if he didn't tell Katara why she was waking up to his screaming every night she'd bother him for the rest of time they were together. Finally he walked over to Katara and pushed her over closer to the wall.

"You're allowed to sleep in here just as long as you don't cuddle." Zuko snapped.

"Fine be that way see if I care cuz I don't." Katara turned over and refused to look at Prince Zuko any longer. Sleep over came both shortly after words, which brought Zuko into a dangerous world.

With Sokka and Aang

It was another time of hit and run. They were now being moved from their location within the forest to one closer to their campsite. Nyla made sure that her motives where clear. Anyone who was confused about their assignment was put in chains, chained up to a tree and the tree was set a flame. Sokka shivered at the thought of being like one of those guards chained up to the tree dying because of being confused.

Admiral Zhao was a couple inches behind Nyla. Something in his eyes said that he wanted to kill her just as much as he wanted to kill Zuko and the Avatar. Right now they were going to use Aang and Sokka as bait to lure her brother in. After Zuko was destroyed that left Nyla in charge of the Fire Nation as soon as the Fire Lord died. Which would require some help in Lord Ozai's death.

The plan was to kill both people at once. It was simple, suck up to Zuko give him the Avatar allow him to regain his honor. Have a meeting set up with the family then slowly kill them. It was a no fail plan. Zuko was obsessed with the Avatar and that would be his down fall.

With Zuko

Zuko was tossing and turning. He couldn't get back to sleep again. It was hard when you had someone else in bed with you and you were trying hard not to wake him or her up. Katara turned over and placed her arm over his chest and her other hand got tangled in his hair. Zuko blushed slightly and untangled her hand and pushed her back over to the other side of the bed. Katara opened an eye and looked at the young prince tossing and turning again.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

"Go back to sleep." He muttered turning over so his back was to her. "It's nothing."

Katara leaned over him and smiled. "Okay boy I know something's wrong. Either you tell me or…" She paused to think of something devastating for the prince. "Or I'll kiss you." She finished.

Zuko looked at her like she was crazy for even suggesting that sort of thing. He sighed before telling her what was going on in his dream.

"It always starts out the same." He started out. "With my mothers death."

Dream

A younger Zuko, around thirteen, wandered the halls, but not just any halls but the ones that were forbidden. He knew that he could get in major trouble and get killed for this but he did them anyway. His mother usually followed him in to get him out of trouble most of the time but things were different today. Zuko had wandered away from his mother's care and looked for a place to think. These halls always seem to bring him comfort but he was forbidden to go down them.

It was then when he met his father. Zuko really never liked his family let alone his father. He was scolded for being down these halls and Lord Ozai raised his fist to hit Zuko across the face when his mother rushed up and blocked the blow. His mother was well known through out the land and more respected too. She was knocked against the wall and his father just walked off before saying… off with her head.

Zuko had witnessed her death, which caused him to be scarred emotionally. After that the dream would dissolve into a different part of the Fire Nation off a little island. It was there where the dream turned for the worse. This is where Zuko's fears became a reality.

Zuko would be walking around getting ready to sneak to rescue the Avatar again. It was worth it considering that this would get his honor back. If he could get his honor back he'd get his country back too. It was a plan that couldn't fail.

He stole his uncle's mask to hide himself from the fire nation around him. Sneaking in was easy but getting down to the Avatar was a different problem. After he snuck passed Zhao's speech thinking that he was a power hungry fool whose plan was going to fail. After he made it down to where Aang was he came face to face with Zhao himself.

"Well Prince Zuko, I can see you're as weak as your father told you." He said smiling.

Zuko scoffed. "It's not life or death if you don't have the Avatar in your possession."

"Oh on the contrary it's not for me. But since I have his girlfriend in my possession…"

End of dream

Zuko couldn't continue on with his story.After all it dealt with more personal matters than he was willing to admit. "You don't need to know any more." He said sternly.

"Of course I do… this was just getting interesting." Katara said lying on her stomach putting her head on her hands.

Zuko laid on his stomach so he was about an inch away from her face. "My dear didn't you hear the old fire bender saying, 'Curiosity killed the water bender?'" He asked.

Katara shook her head and crawled up back to her spot. Yawning she smiled. "Turn out the light Zuko and sleep. You need some." She grabbed a fist full of blankets and curled up with them.

Zuko returned to his normal position after turning out the light. Sighing he couldn't get back to sleep. He knew he told Katara too much. He smiled to himself realizing that his people truly never said about the killing water benders thing.

And obviously Katara just realized that too cuz she turned over and grabbed Zuko's arm. He looked over and noticed Katara awake. "Hey you just made that part up about the fire benders and the water benders." She laughed. "Zuko really get some sleep you walk out every morning with a bad attitude."

"Katara if only it was that easy." Zuko tried to explain.

Katara held up a finger to his lips. "Zuko try deep breathing or counting sheep. Personally I have to sing myself to sleep."

Zuko lit a lamp nearby. "Sing?"

"Yeah… don't ask." Katara shrugged. "Maybe if you just…"

Zuko laughed slightly. "I'll think happy thoughts: Kill Nyla, kill Zhao with a Spork, and take back my throne."

Katara started laughing. She couldn't help it. It was like when Zuko had sleep deprivation it was like he was a whole new person. Zuko wasn't big to plan ahead or maybe he was. Either way she couldn't help noticing that he was a normal person after all.

"What's so funny?" Zuko demanded.

"It's nothing just kill Zhao with a spork? I find that so unlike you." Katara laughed.

"How so?"

"Like you strike me as a person who will kill slowly and painfully." Katara finally stopped laughing. "Oh yeah you never did tell me why Aang and Sokka are in much more trouble than I realize."

Zuko smiled it was a perfect way to get information out of her. "I keep my mouth shut and I wont tell anything." Zuko turned his head to hide his smirk. "Tell me about the Avatar and I'll tell you about the danger your brother is in."

K15: Here's chapter four. I hope you liked it. I'll hopefully get chapter five up. I'm still opened to ideas. Oh I'd like to thank SaphireStars for the idea of the kill Nyla thing... anyway. I'll try to update soon. Later. K15