Didn't See That Coming

by Rebirth of the Phoenix

Hey. I had a request to make each fear a two-part chapter. That would mean that it would have Katara's fear in one chapter and Zuko's in another. Does anyone else like that idea? It would mean that the story would be quite a bit longer. Let me know with some reviews!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

- - - - - - - -

Zuko felt Katara disappearing from his arms as a new world formed around him.

'Remember, this is just an illusion. Remember that as soon as you fight back, the spell is broken.'

Zuko repeated these words in his head over and over again. The problem was, that as soon as his Past formed completely around him, his mind was wiped completely clean.

Zuko was knelt on the marble floor, the air humid around him. He wondered for a moment why he was surrounded by a crowd of cheering spectators. Then his memories came rushing back to him; Agni Kai.

'Get it together Zuko Today is the day that you prove yourself in the eyes of your father. It is no time for you to let your mind wander! It's your chance to beat down that old General and show you are not afraid to speak out against his plans!'

- - - - - - - - -

The world appeared around Katara again and her eyes opened in surprise. She was stood on a large, long marble platform with members of the Fire Nation looking down at her from all sides. The air felt warm around her and she noticed a particular person in the crowd... Iroh.

'That means I'm in Zuko's fear, his Past. But where is he?'

Looking down Katara gasped. At her feet knelt a teenage boy. He looked about her age, he had obsidian hair, pulled up into a high ponytail. His chest was bare and a gold armband was fastened on each arm. He wore a pair of black combat trousers and a cloth emblazoned with the Fire Nation insignia was draped around his shoulders.

The boy lifted his head slightly and Katara caught sight of a pair of familiar golden eyes.

"Zuko?" Katara asked out loud. He looked so much different, the scar was gone, his muscles were less defined and he just looked so much... younger.

Katara gaped at the Fire Prince before her. She reached out a hand to touch his face and found there was an invisible barrier between the two of them.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told him. You can't make physical contact with him."

Katara whipped around. Kaen stood behind her, the demon's scarlet eyes burning into Katara's cerulean orbs. "What?"

Kaen smirked wickedly. "I went through this in detail with him," she gestured to Zuko. "I'm not going to repeat myself. You can ask him after this, if he survives. Basically, you don't exist here so you can't touch anything, and nothing can touch you. I'll leave it up to you to figure out a way to aid him, should he need it. Enjoy the show, it should be a real eye opener."

With that Kaen disappeared and Katara turned around in time to see Zuko getting to his feet. He turned and stood in a fighting stance, his feet apart and his arms ready in front of him. The cloth on his shoulders drifted to the ground. Katara watched as Zuko's arms fell to his side. Confused she walked around Zuko until she was stood in front of his face. He couldn't see her, but she cold see the look of surprise on his face.

A sudden breeze swept across the platform and Katara watched as Zuko stood, mouth agape and blinked at something behind her. His face then changed; he looked truly scared.

Katara looked behind her and saw a tall man stalking closer to Zuko. He was well built, his ebony hair fell down his back. Atop his head rested a small crown. His face was shadowed to Katara though. The sun blazed overhead, and the courtyard had no roof to act as barrier to it. The rays shone behind the man, casting his face into indistinguishable shadows.

Katara looked back to Zuko. He looked surprised to see the man to say the least.

- - - - - - -

Zuko stared at his father in horror.

'I'm fighting father? No, this is wrong! I should be fighting that puffed up General who wanted to sacrifice a whole division! There is no way I'll fight my own father. No I won't do it!"

- - - - - - -

Katara watched from the sidelines as the large man approached Zuko. Zuko seemed to snap out of it and took a small step towards the approaching man.

"Please father! I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"

Katara watched, surprised, as Zuko looked quickly at the ground. Zuko's voice sounded terrified, desperate.

'His father? So this is Fire Lord Ozai?'

She watched as Ozai continued to prowl closer.

"You will fight for your honor."

Katara winced at Ozai's cool tone. Zuko dropped to his knees and bowed low to the floor in front of his father.

"I meant you no disrespect." He raised his head to look at his father. "I am your loyal son!"

Katara's heart went out to him. His father, however, paid no heed.

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"

As Ozai reached Zuko, the young Prince lowered his face to the ground again.

"I won't fight you!"

"You will learn respect!"

Zuko placed his hands on the ground, so he was no longer flat to the floor.

"And suffering will be your teacher!"

Zuko raised his head to stare at his father's looming figure. Katara's heart wrenched when she saw the tears streaming down Zuko's face. She watched, aghast, as Ozai lit a ball of fire in his hand and sent it streaming towards his son.

- - - - - - -

Zuko cowered at his father's feet.

'Please father. Please, understand my actions!" He silently pleaded to the man in front of him.

He watched terrified as a ball of fire was lit in his father's hand. Time stopped for a moment and then it happened.

The fire was thrust at Zuko. It pummeled into the left side of his face. He instinctively closed his eyes but he couldn't protect the rest of his face from the consuming fire. His skin was being torn with hundreds of knives, the heat unbearable, ripping at the delicate nerves around his eye. He also couldn't stop the scream of pain that tore from his throat and echoed around him. At that moment one thought made its way into Zuko's mind.

'You may not have killed me father, but you have destroyed me nonetheless.'

- - - - - - - -

Katara couldn't stop the tears as she watched Ozai burn his own son.

'So that's how he got his scar. He's suffered so much. He may be the Fire Nation Prince but he has still suffered at the hands of the Fire Lord.

"Aw, you're upset. Should I come back later?"

Katara whipped around to see Kaen there again. She looked thoroughly amused by the sight of the trembling Zuko on the floor. "You evil bitch! How can you find it funny?"

Kaen's smirk disappeared. "Easy, it's funny because all of you pathetic mortals deserve to suffer as I did. It's about to get hilarious. In reality, as I'm sure you know, Zuko was only given a scar by his father. I'm about to show you what would have happened if his father hadn't stopped and had carried on the battle."

As Kaen vanished Katara spun around to see Ozai grab Zuko's hair and yank him to his feet. His legs were trembling so much, they looked as though they would give way. Katara felt fresh tears spring to her eyes as she saw Zuko's bleeding and burnt face.

"Kaen!" Katara screeched.

A cool voice answered her. "Yes?" The demon appeared next to Katara.

"Let me be physical in this place!"

"I already told you, while you are here -" She was cut of by the Waterbender.

"I know what you said but this is your curse so you can do anything. You have the power to manipulate our memories of the past, so I'm sure you can make me physical here"

Katara heard a yell. She turned to see Zuko rolling across the ground. Ozai has just delivered a heavy kick to his stomach.

Kaen looked at Katara suspiciously. "I suppose I could make you real, but why would I want to?"

"Think about it!" She was becoming frantic now. She didn't know how much Zuko could last in this battle. "With me out there, there is an extra chance that I'll get killed. If I'm real then I can be killed can't I?"

Kaen scoffed. "True. I know you just want to help you little Prince but I'll humor you anyway. Have it your way, but you may regret it!"

Kaen disappeared and Katara felt the ground beneath her feet more solidly than before.

- - - - - - -

Zuko's breath was knocked out of him as his father delivered another punch to is gut. He knew he'd die if he didn't fight back but he refused to fight his father. Suddenly he heard the crowd gasp collectively and looked up. His father was mere inches away from him. He wasn't moving and Zuko soon realized why. One of his father's feet were encased in ice. Looking past the Fire Lord, Zuko saw a girl of about his own age in Water Tribe robes. The waterskin at her side was open and she has a ball of water ready in her hand.

'I know that girl. I've seen her before, where did she come from?"

Slowly Zuko's mind began to fight through the haze that Kaen's spell had put over it. Zuko watched in some confusion as his father got over his shock at being encased in ice, and melted the restraint on his foot.

- - - - - - -

Katara stood watching as Lord Ozai melted the ice on his foot. She had done the first thing that had come into her head when she had realized she could Waterbend. It had worked in the sense that Ozai was no longer pummeling Zuko. The problem was that Ozai was now advancing on Katara. Thankful that she had her waterskin with her she took her fighting stance. She knew she was no match for the Fire Lord but she just needed to get to Zuko and snap him out of Kaen's spell.

Ozai stopped opposite Katara and sent a stream of fire hurtling at her. She countered it with a shield of water. The force of the blast was too strong and Katara found herself on her back. Ozai stepped over her and grabbed her wrist. He lifted her off the ground. Katara stared into the Fire Lord's face. He had golden eyes like Zuko, but they were distinctly dead looking. He had a regal face. A strong chin, distinguished nose, but none of his son's handsome, graceful features.

Ozai turned to his battered son. "So, as well as having no respect you also associate yourself with Water Tribe scum?"

He threw Katara to the ground and she tumbled next to Zuko. His burnt face looked worse up close, as well as the bruises blossoming on his exposed torso.

Katara looked up and cobalt met gold.

Katara knew they didn't have long before Ozai resumed his attack. "Zuko, it's me Katara. You have to fight this. It's just a trick, fight it!"

- - - - - - -

Zuko looked at the girl blankly. His mind was in turmoil.

'Katara... yes I've heard that name before.' He told himself.

Wait, how could you? you've never met a member of the Water Tribe before.' Another voice in his mind said.

The voices in his mind continued to argue.

Zuko looked at the girl again. She was familiar and she had saved his life, but his mind wasn't working fast enough to put two and two together.

The girl in front of him was speaking again. He could see his father approaching. "Please Zuko! Fight this. As soon s you fight back it will be over. One fire ball, one punch and we can go! Please, if you don't hurry we're both dead. Come on Zuko I -"

Her words were cut short as she was grabbed around the neck by Ozai.

Zuko watched as the girl struggled in his grasp, it looked familiar. In his mind a picture was forming. A woman in Water Tribe robes was struggling for air while she was being strangled. Zuko's mind sped up, he could see a demonic woman smirking and a Water Tribe girl hiding under a bed.

The same Water Tribe girl that was in his father's grasp. Zuko's mind was on fast forward, he could see everything. The forest, the stepping stones, Kaen... Katara!

"Katara!" Zuko was on his feet. He remembered everything and he knew Katara was in danger.

- - - - - - - -

Katara could hardly breathe, and Ozai held a flame precariously close to her face.

'Come on Zuko, quickly!'

As if Zuko had heard her thoughts he was on his feet shouting her name.

Through her blurred vision, Katara could see Ozai's surprised face. He barely had time to react as his son sent a stream of fire at him. Ozai dropped her and she saw him dodge the attack. He raised his hands to retaliate but Katara took the opportunity to plant a sharp kick to his shin. Ozai grunted and glared at the girl. She smirked back up at him, for she saw Zuko right behind him. In the precious few seconds that Ozai had been distracted, Zuko had sprinted towards him and threw a heavy punch into his father's jaw.

Ozai fell backwards, caught by surprise. Before he even hit the ground he faded out of sight, along with the rest of the world.

Zuko crouched next to Katara in the gathering emptiness and they grinned at each other. He pulled her close to him and she willingly sank into his warmth.

- - - - - - - -

Zuko closed his eyes as he held Katara. He made a mental note to yell at Katara for putting herself in danger. He had no idea how she had become real in his Fear but he could safely bet that it had something to do with Kaen.

He felt a breeze brush past his face. Opening his eyes he saw that they were back in the forest in the real world. They were crouched, holding each other, on the first stepping stone. He also realized he was back to normal; he was taller, more built and the left side of his face wasn't in pain anymore. Kaen was stood in her usual place on the opposite side of the island.

She didn't look remotely happy that the pair had made it back alive. "Well, I see that neither of you died. Pity. But no matter. That was just the first stone; from now on things are going to get a little trickier. Trust me." She added with an evil grin.

- - - - - - - -

Whoa, way longer than I thought it would be again! Things should have more action now. I've decided that Katara and Zuko will go into the fears together. That way they can interact with each other and they both get into the action more. Let me know if the chapter came out alright.

The dialouge and movements in the Agni Kai scene in this chapter matches perfectly with the show. I have 'The Storm' downloaded on my computer so I used it to make the chapter more realistic. Hope it worked!

Review!