The next day, Aang received some unexpected visitors.
Although he had been told that he would have to stay in the hospital all week, he was still anxious to get out of there. The wound wasn't terrible, but the bandages made his skin itch, and he was so used to being mobile that staying in bed was trying at times. He was only allowed out to get the necessary exercise and bathroom breaks.
Sighing, he laid back gingerly to keep from pulling at his stitches. Aang wasn't sure what to think. But the pain in his chest had nothing to do with the bullet wound. He couldn't stop thinking about Katara. Worry didn't do his feelings justice. The last thing he had wanted her to do was take someone's life.
There had been no other choice in the circumstances, he knew, but Katara should not have had her hands sullied by shooting a person, even in self defence. What was she thinking about right then? He didn't know if she was still in the hospital, but he knew better than anyone what it was like to have internal damage such as hers.
Katara was pure in his eyes, but she might not see herself that way. After she had shot the Viper, they had huddled on the ground, listening to the ambulance sirens getting closer. He had lost quite of bit of blood, but if it had meant for Katara to get away, he would gladly give his life for her.
But now she had been forced to save them by shooting another person. Aang knew she was strong, that she was capable of great things, and he prayed with every fiber of his being that she would pull through this horrific memory.
The sound of someone knocking on his door had him sitting up a little. "Come in," he called out, curious about who could be out to see him. To his surprise and dismay, his parents entered, his mother in tears and his father hard in the face. There could be only one reason they would be here.
His mom came over to him in quick strides, taking the chair Suki had occupied yesterday. She took his hand, tears streaming down her anguished face. "I'm so relieved to see you're alright."
"Don't worry, Mom," he said, feeling the need to calm her. "I'll be okay."
His dad grasped his shoulder gently, staring at him with that same hard face. Aang felt nervous, to be sure, wondering what could be going through the older man's mind. For a long moment they looked at one another; then, to the teen's surprise, tears began leaking out the older gray eyes.
His father began speaking, his voice choked. "I thought you were going to be taken from us again."
Aang felt wetness sting his eyes as well, but he put on a brave smile. Or at least tried to. "Dad, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be fine, really." But deep down, he knew they wouldn't be convinced. Judging from their anguished facial features, that was the truth. He sighed, resigned. "How did you know I was here?" He was going to tell them how he had ended up there, but not right then. Someone must have revealed his location.
His mother answered, carding her hand through his hair. "Hakoda came by the house and told us about the incident early this afternoon."
Since the man was in charge of the case, it would make sense to tell Aang's parents about what had occurred. Still, a little warning would have been nice. At the same time, though, he was grateful. It would have been hard to tell his parents about nearly dying at the hands of a madman whose only pleasures were murder and rape.
Just thinking about what the Viper could have done made disgust roll in his belly. But what scared him even more was what could have happened to his girlfriend. If the vile man had gotten her alone...
Aang shivered, glad that the Viper wouldn't be able to touch her ever again.
"Have you heard about Katara, too?" he asked them. He desperately wanted to know how she was doing, but he also understood that time was what she needed. As someone who cared, he only felt the need to help her in some small way, any way that would relieve at least some of her burden.
His dad replied, "Yes, we did." He shook his head mournfully. "No one should have to do that, especially one so young."
"Is she home?" Aang askedd softly.
Josh nodded. "Last we heard." The man paused for a moment, seeming to gather his thoughts before turning to his wife. "Would you give us a minute, Linda?"
She nodded, eyes going moist again as she stood to kiss Aang's forehead. "I'll get some coffee. I won't be long." With that she left, closing the door softly behind her.
The boy turned to his father, perplexed. "What's going on, Dad?"
Josh leaned closer, taking a gentle breath. "Son, Hakoda has asked me to lend my services."
Aang felt his heart sink. His father was one of the best trackers in the world; it didn't really surprise him that the chief of police would ask Josh to help out the case. But that also meant one thing: His dad was going to leave. It might be a while before they saw each other again. On the other hand...
Aang looked down, squeezing his hands on the bed sheets. "When?" he asked quietly, dreading the answer.
"After you're out of here," he replied just as quietly.
They sat there in silence for a short while. Aang couldn't believe it; his father had been with them for so short a time. The thought of him leaving again so soon made the boy uneasy. Azula wouldn't let anyone near, not now. She knew how to hide and the thought of his father going after everything that had happened made his heart ache.
"Does mom know?" he asked dully, already knowing the answer.
"She doesn't like the idea," he admitted, "but it might be the best choice we have."
Feeling his heart break at the resignation in his father's voice, Aang turned to him in anger. "We just got you back, Dad. We can't-we can't lose you again. Not now."
Josh reached over and tried to wrap his arm around his son's shoulder, but the boy shrugged him off. "Aang, I have to. Azula needs to be found, before anyone else gets hurt."
Crying hard, which made his stitches burn but not caring one wit, he said, "What if that someone is you? If she catches you, you're dead." The thought made his throat hurt, just thinking about it. If that kind of scenario were to become true, Aang wasn't sure he'd be able to survive that. Nor would his mother.
But his dad shook his head. "I'll be okay, kiddo. I'm not going alone. Hakoda tasked a small team to accompany me there."
He still wasn't convinced, however, but he could tell that Josh wasn't going to back down from this challenge. It was the right thing to do, of course, but it still sucked. Wiping his face, trying to calm down, he thought about it. Even with a team, there was every chance the Azula had contingencies in place. She may be crazy, but she wasn't stupid.
This was the woman who had taken him and countless others, bringing them to a place that shouldn't even exist. A lot of children, young men and women, taken into the life of a sex slave. Taking a trembling breath, he nodded, eyes closed.
"I know you're right, Dad. Just..." Looking into his father's gray orbs, he saw the concern and determination lying in deep pools of silver. He finished with a hoarse, "Don't underestimate her. And please...come back to us."
His dad managed to wrap him in a gentle hug, combing a hand through his hair. "I promise."
They sat that way for a while until the door opened and Linda came in holding a cup of coffee. "How's it going in here?"
The two separated as Josh said, "We're fine, honey." But that felt like a lie to the teen. Nothing about this was fine. Everything, at that moment in time, felt like it was coming apart at the seams. However, he didn't point that out. His mother already looked as if her world was falling down around her.
It was then a nurse entered, saying Aang needed to rest. Josh stood up, a small but strained grin on his face. "We'll see you later, kiddo." He tapped the bracelet on Aang's wrist, which he had gotten back after his awakening. "Home is close, remember that."
Aang nodded, too emotionally choked up to speak. His parents exited the room after his mother kissed his forehead, leaving him alone with the nurse, who checked on his bandages and stitches. All look well, it would seem, but the boy felt retched. He couldn't escape the feeling that something dreadful was going to occur when his father leaves. There was no way Azula was going to go down without a fight. She would rather hide like the snake she is or die without revealing anything.
He thought about the other children, of the girl he had been forced to kill, and felt ill all over again. His photographic memory made him wince, remembering every horrid detail of that encounter. She hadn't deserved to die, not like that, and certainly not so young. It had been the first time in so long since he had fought back on anything.
After that first time in Azula's chamber, a part of him felt bleak. All hope and love, all the laughter... They had been stolen when she took his virginity. He was never going to get that back. But she will not mess with his family again. This time he had another reason to fight back. Not just for himself, but for his friends, his sister, his girlfriend. Their parents.
She took things from him, but she was not going to hurt anyone else, not those he cared about and no innocent people.
An idea started forming in his mind, and as crazy as it would seem, he wanted to go through with it. The time had come to bring the fight to her. His father may be one of the best trackers in the states, but he had learned a lot from watching and listening. Aang knew what to look for when it came to looking for clues.
No matter how careful she may have been, there was no stopping him once he found her hiding place. All he needed was time, something that was in short supply but shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Josh would make certain that Aang was alright before going off to his mission. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage. If anyone was going to risk their neck, it was going to be him.
Either he would find Azula and take her down or he was going to die. In the end, it wouldn't really matter, because she was going to be brought to justice for all the harm she had caused. From the moment he left the hospital, Aang was going begin his trial. To protect everyone from that witch's claws.
It was time for the huntress to become the hunted.
Katara felt numb. A few days had passed after she and Aang had fought against the man called the Viper. Days walking alone in the house, her father working overtime as her brother and best friend were at school. Her dad had called the principal to let him know she wasn't feeling well. It wasn't that far from the truth; she did feel sick to her stomach and had barely eaten. The thought of food after everything made her feel wretched.
The image of the man she had shot stayed in her mind. Sleep was sparse because of nightmares, waking her in a cold sweat each time. Those close to her knew what had happened. They grieved in some ways for her, but it felt like it was too much. Their company was the last thing she wanted.
Right now, being alone was the best thing for the time being.
Katara thought about her boyfriend, who was still in the hospital because she had been pushed. Remembering that he had been willing to die for her to have a chance... It made her heart twist in agony. Aang would have been killed if she hadn't acted. If it had been her, she would have done what he had. The boy she loved would have sacrificed himself.
Katara had come to realize, at that moment when she felt like they were going to die, that she had fallen in love with Aang. A love that burned like a gentle flame, something she felt that will last a lifetime.
But if he had been killed...
Shivering, she grasped her bracelet, squeezing tightly to stop the tremors, but it brought little relief. More than ever, she wanted to see Aang. To hold and kiss him, to hear him breathe, his beating heart. But so far she hadn't left the house because she didn't want appear weak to those around her. Hiding in her room might seem like cowardice, but Katara needed to compose herself, which was proving difficult as of late. Hopefully Aang would realize that she needed to order her thoughts.
The knock on her door, however, disrupted her musings. Standing up was a bit of challenge, but she managed, and when she opened the door, she saw it was Suki who came to visit.
The older girl smiled, though she seemed beat judging from the bags under her eyes. In her hands she held a tray of Katara's favorite: Pepperjack grilled cheese and chunky tomato soup.
"Hey," Katara said softly. Her voice was rusty; probably because she had barely spoken since recounting the park fiasco.
"Hey, yourself," Suki replied, stepping inside. She walked over to the side table and placed the tray down before facing Katara again. "I thought you might like a little company."
Katara shrugged, sitting herself down and grabbing half of the sandwhich. At first she was reluctant to eat, but not wanting to eat was different from needing to. She began nibbling the corner, saying nothing. Suki sat down with her, also quiet. For a while, neither spoke, the air saturated with weariness. Katara knew why her friend was there, excluding lunch, but so far she hadn't come right out and ask the question burning in her mind.
Until now.
"Can you talk about it?" Her voice was gentle, nonthreatening, but she may as well have stabbed Katara in the gut.
Memories were a blessing and a curse. Cherishing the good ones while dreading reliving the bad. Recounting them in a numb sort of state was different as to being afraid of them. Hers of that day were trying overcome her mind, drowning the thoughts of anything else as the images replayed. There was no way to stop them.
It was right then, after days of mental fighting, that she broke.
She dropped her barely eaten triangle, unheeding of it falling to the floor, and covered her eyes, sobbing out her exhaustion, fear, sadness, and anger. Suki gingerly wrapped her in a hug, and Katara leaned into her, craving comfort of another human being that cared. Breathing was hard, her chest ached, but the feelings falling out of her were relentless.
It felt like a battle she had lost.
After a almost twenty minutes of the water works, her tears slowed. Suki didn't say anything, holding the girl in a protective embrace as she waited. Katara was drained and felt ready to fall asleep, but before she did, she spoke of what was the truth.
"I don't feel like myself, anymore."
Suki rubbed her shoulder, staying silent as if she knew how hard this was to admit.
Katara continued. "I know I didn't have a choice, that we would die, but I wish there had been a another way." Raising herself, hands shaking, she spoke quietly to the floor. "I feel like a monster."
Suki took a deep breath, seeming to gather her thoughts, before speaking carefully. "Katara, defending yourself and someone you care about is not a crime. That man...he wasn't going to spare either one of you. You did what was necessary. No one sees you as a monster."
Katara wasn't sure about that. Taking someone's life was a tragic affair in her opinion, despite the circumstances. Perhaps the man had deserved it, but he had also deserved to live out the remainder of his life in prison, to be punished. It seemed death was too quick, one second alive and the gone next, in an instant. Being the one to snuff out that spark of life made her feel inhumane. Something that wasn't allowed to roam.
Katara shook her head. "It still doesn't feel right, Suki. I murders another living person. That's not right."
Suki was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Is this why you haven't been to see Aang? Be cause of how he might view you now?"
Katara paused before slowly nodding. How did Aang see her now? Was he disgusted with her, as he thought about all that had transpired? Did he not want to be with her anymore? Did she remind him of the mistress, a woman who murdered and raped for her own selfish reasons? Those questions terrified Katara, but, more than that, it would be the way he looked at her.
There was no possible way he would want to be with a murderer.
But then Suki smiled slightly in some amusement. "Katara, you really have nothing to worry about in regards to how Aang sees you."
Sniffling, she wiped her eyes. "How can you be sure, Suki?"
The older girl grasp her free hand, encompassing it with both of hers. "Because I know Aang. If anything, he feels terrible about you doing it, I'm sure. He won't see you as anyone but a young woman desperate to save those she loved." Suki gave her a reassuring smile, squeezing her hand in comfort. "If it bothers you so much, just talk to him. He'll be honest."
Katara thought about it, and although the idea gave her goosebumps, she knew her friend had a point. It was best to talk about what had happened with her boyfriend. Secrets were something she did t really want, not with him.
Perhaps she could tell him about what had occurred when she was fourteen...
Pushing her thoughts back from the dark time, Katara noddedmin assent. Suki did so in return before standing. "I gotta head home, but I'll see you tomorrow after school, okay?"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Suki."
After she had left, Katara wasn't sure what to do with herself. Once more she was alone and with Aang still in the hospital for another two days, there wasn't much she could do. Looking down at her bracelet, heart racing, she recalled about that night three years ago, the night where she felt at her lowest.
Lifting her shaking hand, she somehow managed to unclasp it, removing it from her wrist. Dread pooled in her stomach when she saw the familiar sight. Right there are her marks of shame, the marks she herself had created.
Her wrist was paler from her bracelet being worn, but on the underside...
The scars were still clear.
I am so sorry this took so long! My computer crashed and I couldn't finish the chapter on it, so I had to use my tablet and that was a pain.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I will do my best to get the next one done sooner. I got a new computer; I just have to set it up.
Until next time, my fans!