"Golden eyes watching our every move

Losing time without the sun or moon…

Here we are in the heart of the darkness…"

-"Heart of the Darkness", Tommee Profitt, Sam Tinnesz

Chapter Twenty: In the Dark

The morning of the eclipse came sooner than the others hoped- and it came with a storm that blew in from the sea, which roared, lashing itself against the cliffs.

With the sun hidden behind a thick blanket of gray clouds, the darkness crept across the land, slipping itself into every crevice.

Katara kept the worst of the rain away from them, her eyes turned skyward, knowing she would not be able to keep up the barrier as the day progressed.

Already, she felt more lethargic than usual, and her long journey to and from the North had not helped. But it was not the eclipse that made her wary- it was the storm. Tinged with electricity, the air felt heavy, and she had the sense they were being watched.

Suki stood next to Katara, watching as the sky boiled with lightning and the earth shook when the thunder came. "We need to find shelter from this," the warrior said, her dark blue eyes clouded with worry.

The waterbender nodded. Perhaps it would be better to find a cave of some sort, and hunker down until the storm and the eclipse passed.

The air seemed to swell and Katara's ears popped at the sudden change in pressure.

There was a blur of movement, dark against dark, and when Katara looked up, she saw a fork of lightning heading towards her. Something- someone- shoved her and Suki aside, and the lightning made contact before it was redirected to the ocean, which hissed and bubbled.

Katara looked at Zuko, who was panting from his efforts. Lightning had been striking all morning, and even the combined efforts of Zuko, Iroh, and Aang to keep it at bay did not seem to be enough.

Resting her hand on his arm, Katara said, "We need to move away from the cliffs and more inland."

Zuko nodded, taking her hand in his. His eyes gleamed in the dim light as they held hers.

There was another rumble and some of the cliffs broke away, falling into the sea. Toph was by their side in an instant, stomping her feet to keep them steady.

"Are you guys going to stand around and get struck by lightning, or are you going to move your asses?" Toph yelled, her bangs plastered against her face.

Katara almost smiled, then yelled for Aang. Together, they used their bending to keep the rain off of them while Zuko and Iroh kept a wary gaze at the sky. The group moved together to the nearby foothills, using Toph as their guide when she sensed a nearby series of tunnels.

When they finally reached a large cave, wide enough to fit Appa, the group gave a collective sigh of relief before Katara bent the water from their clothes and Zuko started a fire.

"I hope Bumi and the others are all right," Aang said, warming his hands.

Iroh sat beside him, folding his hands into his sleeves. "I am sure it would take more than a storm to bring down King Bumi, young Avatar."

As the rest of the group began to idly chat, Katara sighed and sat next to Zuko, instinctively moving closer to his warmth.

Zuko wrapped an arm around her shoulders, letting her lean against him as he rested against the wall of the cave.

Katara's eyes began to droop as a wave of drowsiness overtook her. Sighing, she leaned into Zuko's embrace, allowing herself to relax against him.

He felt her breaths grow soft and deep, and her body slip away into sleep. He rested his cheek against her hair, and let his thoughts drift as the rain continued to fall outside.

Ooo0ooO

The air was cold as it whipped through the trees, making the branches creak and groan. There was nothing here but a copse of trees, nothing but death and ice.

Katara walked through this desolation, her breaths coming out in thick white huffs. "Hello?"

Her call was swallowed by the wind. A darkness crept along the edges of the forest she wandered in, like a blanket of fog. The grass turned an icy green at its touch, before it froze and died.

Katara backed away from the dark, her feet sinking deep into the snow. "Zuko!" she shouted. "Aang! Sokka!"

Turning, she desperately scanned the surrounding forest, looking for any hint of life.

"It's no use."

The wind quickly died and suddenly the entire area was frozen. Even the snowflakes hovered in midair.

Katara turned again, her hand going to her waterskin, only to find it gone. "Who's there?" she demanded, her hands curling defensively.

"I know your fears, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," the voice hissed. "I have seen them in your dreams."

"Only a coward hides in the shadows," Katara snapped.

A deep, chilling chuckle responded. "Don't think that because the moon chose you that that means you're safe."

Katara glanced at her wrist, which still bore the Moon's mark. Her eyes burned like sapphires when she lifted her gaze. Her hand, which was a curled talon, closed into a fist.

When nothing happened, Katara stared down at her hands. Her weapons and her bending were gone, leaving her defenseless.

Then a tall shadow emerged from the rest.

"Are you afraid now, peasant?"

Katara's eyes widened before she glared at the being before her.

Ozai's teeth flashed as he grinned.

"Get out of my head!" Katara screamed.

Ooo0ooO

When her eyes flew open, Katara immediately knew that the eclipse had started. The power she had used in her dream, real or not, was gone.

She sat up quickly, looking around. "What happened?"

Zuko, who had been dozing lightly, glanced at her. "Nothing. We are still waiting for the storm to pass. What is it, Katara?"

"Something's wrong," she said,moving closer to the fire, trying not to shiver. "Something that has to do with Ozai and Azula."

Iroh moved closer to the waterbender, offering her some tea from their quickly disappearing supplies.

Katara accepted it with a nod of thanks, before she relayed to the others about her dream.

"I don't understand," Aang said, looking troubled. "How could Ozai be doing this?"

"Many dark spirits want to cross the path between the worlds to create chaos here," Iroh told him. "It is not unlikely that Ozai has bargained with these spirits, so he might use their power in return for…"

"For tearing the veil," Aang finished.

"What I don't understand is why are they choosing this path," Sokka said, staring into the fire. "Of all ways to conquer everything, why would they release dark spirits? Wouldn't the spirits just destroy everything?"

"Yes, but Ozai tried to burn the world before," Suki said, thinking back to that final day of the war, when Ozai harnessed the power of Sozin's comet to greatly strengthen his firebending. "Perhaps he thought this was the best option, without having his bending."

"My question is why my sister would follow him," Zuko spoke up, looking at his uncle. "The ways of the spirits never interested her before, especially after Zhao's defeat in the North."

"Maybe the former princess has her own agenda," Iroh theorized, pulling at his beard.

"Oh great," Toph huffed. "What does that mean?"

Zuko shook his head. "That either Azula will stand with my father, or she will be the reason why he falls."

Ooo0ooO

The night progressed slowly. Even after everyone else had fallen asleep, Katara stayed awake, staring at the dying embers of their campfire.

Her fingertips brushed the mark on her wrist. She wished she could sleep, sleep and rest, rather than fear any potential nightmares. When had she started fearing the dark?

Katara looked at Zuko, who was dozing next to her. His hair was falling over his eyes, and that made her smile. It was getting longer again, like it had near the end of the war.

Reaching over, she brushed it away. She studied his features languidly, before moving closer to him so she could rest her cheek on his shoulder.

Murmuring, Zuko shifted slightly so he could pull her more tightly against his. "Katara," he whispered.

"I'm here," she said softly. "Go back to sleep."

"Don't leave again… don't want you to go."

Katara stared up at him. "I won't," she promised, leaning up to kiss the corner of his mouth. "I'm right here."

Zuko dropped his cheek on top of her head, his breathing going even again. "Stay with me," he murmured, before his body relaxed back into sleep.

Closing her eyes, Katara held onto him. Suddenly, the dark didn't seem so bad, not with him there. And as she held him, and he held her, she fell asleep.

And this time, she did not dream of the dark, of Ozai or Azula. Nor did she dream of the moon.

0oo0oo0

It was cold and dark in the North, and the wind that blew had teeth that tore the trees bare and chilled the skin.

Azula watched the darkness creep through the land as the moon was bathed in red. She watched as the nearby waterbenders from the Northern tribe hid in their buildings made from ice, and how the air grew silent even as the creatures hid from the eclipse.

Her predatory gaze shifted when she saw her father approaching her.

"The oasis is guarded, but the eclipse has made the waterbenders weak. We need to move now."

"I don't see why you're bothering with the spirits," Azula stated, examining her sharp nails. "If they are going to interfere with your plans."

"Our plan," Ozai corrected her. "Zhao was a fool when he tried to kill the Moon Spirit before, with the Avatar right there. But now we know he's in the Earth Kingdom, so we need to attack."

Azula slated her gaze at him. "There are other ways to gain control. There are plenty who are still loyal to you. The spirits are… unpredictable. Who says you can control them?"

"You sound like your uncle," Ozai hissed. "Iroh was a fool too."

Shrugging, Azula turned her gaze skyward again. "Why are you trying to accomplish what Zhao could not? If you want the spirit's powers, why not attack the Sun Spirit? What good is the moon for a firebender? Well…" She trailed off, her tone purposely taunting. "Former firebender."

"Silence," Ozai snapped. "I want to attack all the spirits, and take their power for my own."

Azula turned on him, angling her chin so she could eye him doubtfully. "You aren't the Avatar."

There was a flash of movement, a crack of a hand against a cheek.

The blood at the corner of Azula's mouth tasted like copper and salt. When she wiped it away, she watched her father, her eyes cold and unreadable.

Ozai, who had been ready to snarl at her, stopped. This was not the first time he had struck her, but it was the first time she had looked at him in that manner. He refused to acknowledge that it… unnerved him.

Turning away from her, Ozai silently seethed. The spirits were already restless, with dark ones slipping into the world from the other side, and he didn't know why.

When he too looked up at the moon, he was overwhelmed with the feeling that he was being watched, not just by Azula, but something old, something powerful.

Ooo0ooO

Miles away, Katara was woken up by an unfamiliar sensation that did not entirely feel her own. She looked down at the mark on her wrist, and swore it glowed.

Blinking and rubbing her eyes, she looked down again and saw it was still there, pale against her brown skin. Shaking her head, she looked around.

The air seemed lighter, and she found it easier to breathe. It was still dark outside, but the eclipse losing its hold on her body and power, but something was different, and she didn't know why.

Zuko woke up, looking over at her with bleary eyes. "Katara? Is everything okay?"

Katara smiled, before moving closer to his side again. "Yes, everything is fine. I think it's almost dawn."

Sitting up, Zuko glanced outside. "Yeah… I think you're right. I can sense the sun."

"I'm sorry I woke you up again."

Zuko leaned over, kissing her temple. "I would have woken up soon anyway."

"I think the storm passed." Katara grabbed his hand. "Let's go outside."

The darkness was being edged away, and the sky was slowly shifting from black to a deep indigo. The wind was cool and fresh as the two benders walked outside hand in hand.

Zuko shifted towards the direction of the sun, while Katara looked up at the fading red moon. She sighed softly with relief as the eclipse finally released its hold on her.

Katara turned to Zuko, smiling up at him. The rising sun brought out the gold in his eyes, and she felt herself falling into his gaze. When he pulled her close, she lifted her chin, and kissed him deeply.

Wrapped up in each other, the two benders welcomed the new day.

Ooo0ooO

Another pair of gold eyes watched the sun rise, before turning away from it. They latched onto the figure sleeping on the ground before them, and bared their teeth.

The taste of blood had long faded in her mouth, but the bruise was still fresh on her cheek.

Azula drew out a small dagger, one she had stolen long ago from Mai, and held it loosely in her hand. It would be so easy, so quick.

She could see it now, the swipe of metal against skin, the fresh spray of blood. The gasping for air, the look of anger and betrayal in his eyes before the life faded from them. She would leave the body behind, not caring if the animals came to devour him, bones and all.

Tilting her hand, Azula considered her options.

"Are you going to kill me, daughter?"

Azula looked down at Ozai, lifting her brow when she saw him open his eyes. There was a long, tense moment before Azula sheathed her dagger.

"Not yet," she told him, with the same look in her eyes that she had after he had struck her.

When she turned away from him with disinterest, Ozai stayed still for a moment longer, wondering idly who would kill whom first.

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Please review!