Days later, Zuko was standing against the wall, Katara on his shoulders. "Do you see anything?" he muttered. "Your weight is starting to make my arm worse."
"All I see is a bunch of flowers," Katara called, carefully getting down off Zuko's shoulders. "Su was right. It's just her flower garden, tended by captive Earthbenders. I also saw some vegetables, for the cooks, I guess."
"Weren't there any vines growing under the opening?" Zuko asked.
"Yeah, but the blooms on it were thorny. I don't think they'd opened yet. Besides," she added, "I don't think you could squeeze through that hole." She glanced at the prince. Zuko knew she was right. Even with his armor (which had been stolen by the guards) gone, there was no way he could even fit his shoulders through, let alone the rest of him.
Zuko was thinking about this whole predicament as Katara looked at his broken arm. "Too bad your friend the Avatar's monster isn't here," he mused. "It could break down the wall."
"You know, Appa probably could do that," Katara agreed. "Though how a ten ton bison could fit into that tiny garden is beyond me." She finished wrapping his arm. It had gotten a bit better, but it still needed wrapping. "Your arm should be healed in about three weeks. You Firebenders have amazing healing times. Broken bones usually take six to eight weeks to fully heal, sometimes longer. Four weeks is a record."
"I'd rather my arm be healed now than wait for weeks. Are you sure you can't heal broken bones?" Katara gave Zuko a look. The Fire Prince sighed. The waiting was beginning to annoy him. Katara saw this.
"I could try, but I don't think it's going to work," she mused. "Get me the water bucket." Zuko did, careful not to spill a drop. He sat, waiting for Katara to unwrap his broken arm.
Katara let the water form a blue glove on her hand, gently pressing it to Zuko's bone. They both watched in amazement as the water seemed to surround the injured limb. It glowed for a brief second, then faded, the water falling back into the bucket. Zuko gingerly moved his arm.
"You healed it," he whispered. Katara was staring in shock at the prince's arm.
"They never taught me that!" she said, gently touching the once-broken arm. Zuko didn't feel anything except her touch.
"Didn't you tell me you were an autodidact?"
"What?"
"Didn't you tell me that you had taught yourself some bending moves before the North Pole?" Zuko asked. Katara nodded. "Looks like you just taught yourself something else."
Katara laughed. "Wait until Sokka hears about this. He is gonna be so mad! He broke a bone years ago and had to sit in our tent while I got to help Dad do everything. Of course, back then we didn't even know I could heal," she added.
"Hmph. Is your brother ever happy?" Zuko muttered. Katara rolled her eyes.
"I could say the same for you," she pointed out. "The only emotion I ever see you display is anger. That and indifference. Have you ever showed any emotion other than those two?"
Zuko looked away, his scarred side facing Katara. "Yes. But never again. Not if I can help it." Zuko stood up and went to the ledge he slept on. Lying down, he turned his back to Katara. He lay there the rest of the afternoon, feigning sleep whenever Katara tried to start a conversation.
It wasn't until evening that Zuko moved himself from his (for lack of a better word) bed. The cell was nearly pitch black, the only source of light the last few rays of sunlight sneaking in through the opening. Zuko sent a blast to the pile of wood from the previous fire and lit up the cell, just as night fell. The prince looked around for Katara.
She was standing underneath the opening, looking up. Zuko heard her whispering, so he quietly got closer to hear.
She was singing a lullaby that almost every child in the world knew, even Prince Zuko. The voice with which she sang it startled Zuko; he hadn't thought the girl could sing. He listened as Katara went through the lullaby.
"A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams, you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday.
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true."
"That was beautiful," Zuko muttered quietly. Katara gasped and turned around.
"How long have you been standing there?" she demanded in a whisper.
"Just a few minutes," Zuko told her. He was amazed at how she looked in the moonlight coming in. Its light made her glow with an ethereal way. Given this and the voice he had just heard Katara sing in, Zuko could have sworn she was a spirit.
Katara blushed slightly. "My mother used to sing that lullaby, when I was younger and had bad dreams."
Zuko nodded. His mother, the only one other than Iroh who ever cared if he was alive or dead, had done the same. "Have you eaten?" Zuko asked.
Katara nodded.
"Then get some sleep." Katara looked about to protest, but decided that she was sleepy and went to bed. Zuko stayed up longer, staring into the fire.
If a dream is a wish your heart makes, he wondered, then what is my heart wishing for with all these dreams of the girl?
Zuko fell asleep, that question weighing on his mind.
Not sure if you would call this a semi-fluffly chapter or not. It's short compared to my last five, but hey, I had a bit of writer's block.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, or A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. Nick owns Avatar and Disney owns the song. I'm not affilated with either of them, just a loyal, screaming fan. I do own The Ends of Fate and Su.
