"What if Katara got out alive?"
Chapter 8 Aunt Wu's Conclusion
Katara felt a dizzying rush of strong emotions.
As she stared at Sokka, the enormity of that long-ago tragedy seemed to hit her full force, an impact that was nearly crushing.
"But how could that be?" she whispered harshly, "I was there. I saw it happen."
"You said you saw the fire coming closer," Sokka reminded her. "You never said that you remembered actually dying."
This was true, Katara realized. She shut her eyes against the powerful memory of smoke, flames, and motionless, near dead, body of Zuko beneath her.
"But if I did get out," she thought slowly, "then how'd it happen? And where would I have gone?"
Sokka shrugged his shoulders. "You said it was at night. And Azula was near mad that night. She probably ran like hell after the fire started, and anyway, she wouldn't have been expecting anyone to escape."
"I don't know Sokka." Katara opened her eyes once more and slowly shook her head. "This clearing was just a place I was able to randomly find. And during that fire, Katara wouldn't have had any place to hide, especially from a fire – and Katara must have hidden. Aang was still desperately looking for her, he would have found her if she had been alive."
Sokka thought for a while before shrugging his shoulders again. "Maybe Katara and Zuko had a secret place," he suggested. "Some special meeting place nobody knew about that they could somehow always meet at. Maybe Katara went there for a while, then managed to sneak away to another place."
The pair grew silent. Glancing back over his shoulder, Sokka raised his eyes to the enormous trees above him, and sadly Katara followed his gaze.
"If only the trees could talk. I bet some of them had survived the fire…if only they could tell us its deep dark secrets. Or clues could still be here."
"Not very likely after all this time." Sokka started to hoist himself up with the help of a nearby tree. "Look Katara, I really do want to help you, but – "
Abruptly, Sokka broke off. Katara saw his gaze fix upon her left hand, and she quickly tired to slip it behind her back.
"You put it back on?"
Katara shook her head. She gave the ring a nervous twist and looked the other way.
"I don't know, I don't even remember putting it back on, j-just drop it…"
"Whatever, I don't know why I even got it back for you. Jeez, Katara maybe it's just that simple. Maybe if you got rid of that stupid ring, Zuko would go back to where ever he came from."
Katara didn't answer. Again, she twisted the tiny gold band and a stab of panic went through her. Get rid of the ring? Images of Zuko flooded her mind and her heart began to beat faster. What if Sokka's right? What if I give back the ring and never see Zuko again?
"That is what you want," Sokka reminded her firmly.
Katara's head snapped up. She started fully into Sokka's eyes.
"Kat," he repeated slowly, "That is what you want, right?"
Guiltily, she managed a nod. "Sure, of course it is."
"Then give it to me."
A second, sudden stab, much worse than the first time, of despair and utter desperation ached through her. Her thoughts were one dark mess, clouding her mind, confusing her as Sokka held out his hand.
"Katara, give it to me."
Unconsciously, she took a step back. She could see the surprise and then the concern on Sokka's face as she tightened her left hand into a fist.
"Sokka, can't you understand that I felt happy with this ring?"
"Come on Katara, don't act stupid."
As Sokka made a sudden grab at her arm, Katara jumped out of reach. She stumbled on some roots and nearly fell, then caught herself again, still putting distance between them.
"I can't give it back yet Sokka. I can't. Zuko wanted me to have it, can't you see?"
"See what?" Sokka demanded. "Where do you think your going?"
But Katara didn't answer. She turned and she ran away and she didn't stop running until she had reached her house. Katara charged up the stairs and reached her room. Whom she saw nearly made her scream.
There was Aunt Wu, sitting comfortable on Katara's bed and drinking some strange tea as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
……
"You seemed startled when you left my house, and so I wanted to wait for your return from the forest and apologize for being so commanding…but I am afraid that I must bear you even more disturbing news."
Aunt Wu hadn't even noticed Katara's surprised gasp and had spoken as soon as Katara had entered.
Katara drew back ever so slightly. "D-disturbing news?"
"Well, to you it will be. Where to begin…" Aunt Wu looked up at Katara and stared straight into her eyes. "So…tell me the events that have occurred so far in your dreams."
There was a tense silence before Katara spoke out and began to tell Aunt Wu her story. Shaky at first, Katara kept returning back to certain times for clearer explanations. But as she kept talking, she was surprised at herself for being so open with this woman than anyone else she had been with so far. But somehow it felt almost comforting, to confide in her. But Katara decided to leave the intimate details between Zuko and Katara out.
"Katara wanted to die." She finished. "She prayed to die even before the flames could get to her. And she didn't want to live without Zuko."
"Bless them." Aunt Wu sadly lowered her eyes and closed them for a while. "Poor Zuko. Poor sweet Katara." Aunt Wu gave an apologetic smile and continued. "My dear, I believe your story, but I don't believe that Katara died in that fire."
"You…you don't?"
"Not a chance!" Aunt Wu looked at Katara as if she were a total imbecile. "And this ring you're wearing confirms it! How else could it have possibly have survived? And why else would poor Zuko keep calling for his Katara?"
"No…it couldn't have been possibly for her…the fire was spreading very fast!"
"She was a waterbender, no? I'm sure she would have found a way. She was a strong girl too I bet, being able to soften the Prince's beaten heart. If she could have somehow managed to escape, you should remember it." She looked at Katara with almost accusing eyes. "You should remember it!"
Katara's mind immediately spun back as she tried to remember the horrific scene back at the forest.
"I…I didn't," she insisted. "I didn't escape. That's what I remember."
"But you must have. Think girl! You must have found a way out at the last possible second, and you're just blocking it out."
"No, Katara was dying. There was fire all around." Katara's voice was rising. She didn't want to think about it – it hurt to go back, it was too horrible to remember. Too painful…
A crash…branches falling…
"I – she – tried to shield Daniel from the flame, and she was praying to die."
A deafening crash, a blistering surge of heat billowing over me, suffocating waves, sparks flying…
"If it is too painful, then you do not have to push yourself Katara. I am sorry."
Katara looked at her weakly. Beyond crashing sound and the overpowering sense of loss there was only darkness. "So what if Katara really did live, and Zuko died," she concluded softly. "That still doesn't explain why I'm involved in this thing."
"Because it has to be you dear." Aunt Wu explained patiently. "You've been separated for much too long. He misses you, and he wants to be with you again. Don't you see?"
Katara shook her head, she didn't see at all.
"You're his Katara. Zuko's Katara. And you're obviously traveled here again, all the way from your human existence nearly 500 years ago. To save Zuko from eternal misery."
"Wait." Katara raised her hands up and frowned harder than before, standing up on wobbly knees. "Wait a minute. You're saying – what are you saying?"
"Reincarnation dear. Past lives. Don't tell me you've never considered the possibility… its destiny. There's no use thinking about it, it's already preordained. You'll just have to be brave. "
"What's preordained?" Katara demanded, very irritated now.
"This time when it happens – "
"This time! When what happens? What are you talking about?"
"I'm so sorry dear, but this time I expect you'll have to join him."
Aunt Wu slowly got up and walked towards the door, speaking the next sentence so softly that Katara wished that she had misheard.
"This time I expect you'll have to die."
Hmmm...kinda rushed, don't you think? But overall I liked how it turned out
