Chapter Four
Katara isn't exactly thrilled to return to the Northern Water Tribe, but she recognizes it as the best place to continue her healing training, so she arrives and finds Yugoda and asks to join her healing lessons.
Katara did her best to ignore the voices that followed her everywhere she went, but she still heard them. She heard them say she was stupid for leaving the Avatar. She heard them question her sanity and pride for leaving someone so powerful. She heard them mock her for returning to become a healer after she had fought Pakku to learn to fight.
She couldn't ignore it anymore when Hahn, the man who didn't deserve Yue to begin with, openly mocked her as she was getting food from a street vendor one day. So she did the only thing she'd ever done and fought him. Hahn wasn't a bender, so she only used hand to hand, but thanks to Suki's lesson she had him on his back, begging for mercy, in under five minutes. She didn't hear people say anything about her after that, but she knew they were just being more careful not to speak up in her presence.
Her healing lessons went well enough. Katara was a hard worker and, with proper instruction, a fast learner. She found pride in knowing she would be able to make a difference with her skills. She proved her worth time and time again, any time there was a hunting accident or a baby being born or someone got sick.
The only things Katara truly looked forward to are her letters from her friends. Sokka and Suki wrote to her every other week. Their letters were fun because Sokka often left stupid things he did out of his letters, but Suki always filled in the gaps. Toph used a scribe to write her letters monthly. She keeps Katara updated on her metal bending academy, and her progress in the Earth Rumble tournaments. There was always a line or two about her parents, and Katara did her best to encourage Toph to keep trying with them. They all gave her small updates about Aang, just to let her know he was safe. Well, everyone but Zuko.
Zuko's letters came weekly, and they were just like before, except that they weren't. Zuko still talked about his family, about Azula's progress now that Ursa was there to help, about Uncle's visits that were never long enough and always filled with constant tea breaks, about feeding the turtleducks with his mom again.
But now he was also asking her tough questions, questions she knew she needed to answer, but had avoided while she was with Aang. What did she want to do for the rest of her life? What was she going to do when she was done training in the North Pole? Where did she want to go next?
She couldn't be mad, because she asked him about things that were tough for him as well. Had he overcome his fear of becoming Ozai? How was he really handling having his mother back after so long? Would he ever forgive Azula?
They somehow maintained light banter in these letters, amongst the heavy questions. He had quite a few jokes about her fighting Hahn. And because he trusted her, he started asking her opinion on political matters more and more. Never for anything that needed an immediate response, but if he knew his council was bringing something up in the coming weeks he'd ask her opinion on the topic.
(She was not good, nope not at all, at not remembering that Aang had never asked her opinion on politics, had just blindly assumed that she'd agree with whatever Aang said).
From his letters she gets the idea to learn medicine from the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. Something about Iroh's belief that wisdom should be pulled from all the nations. With a recommendation from Yugoda (and she later finds out, Zuko), she is accepted to study at Ba Sing Se University. So after seven months in the North Pole, she travels to the walled city.
She spends her days studying, learning herbal healing, and spends her nights at the infirmaries in the lower ring, using a mix of what she's learned and her waterbending to heal those who need it the most. It's exhausting, but so fulfilling, and for the first time in a long time, Katara is excited to get up each day.
Whenever she can, she visits Iroh (Uncle, he insists every time she forgets), and she laughs at his stories about Zuko's childhood, stories that she's certain would have Zuko combusting on the spot from embarrassment if he knew Uncle told her.
When she had been in Ba Sing Se for three months, Toph comes to visit her. They go to the Fancy Lady Day Spa out of nostalgia. She's so happy to see the younger girl, but she can't shake the feeling that there's someone else she misses more, someone she wishes would visit but she would never ask. When she and Toph visit Uncle for tea and stories, she gets the feeling they know more than she will let herself admit.
Before her 10-month program is over, Katara begins planning her travels through the Fire Nation. She decides that since she has had a formal education from the Earth Kingdom, she wants a hands-on experience in the Fire Nation. She plans to travel the islands, staying in the larger cities to learn their methods, but will spend far more time traveling the smaller villages, hopefully using her skills for good.
She has already booked her airship to Omashu when she finds out it leaves the day after a peace summit begins in Ba Sing Se, a summit that everyone from the gang will be attending. She debates changing her ticket to leave earlier, but she already told Zuko and Sokka the date in her letters. She decides that she's excited to see everyone and catch up with them before her journey.
(Really it was Zuko that convinced her. He said "please" and "I miss you" and she realizes there are very few things she wouldn't do for him if he only asks).
She spends the day packing, only planning on seeing everyone at dinner, before she leaves the next day. Sokka still comes and finds her after lunch, and she is glad to have some time just with him. For so long it was just the two of them, and she doesn't admit it out loud but sometimes she misses her brother so much it hurts.
He escorts her to dinner, where she hugs Suki, awkwardly side hugs Aang, and gets a classic punch from Toph. Before she can ask where he is, she hears him behind her.
"Hi, Katara," he rasps. She whirls around and her heart leaps out of her chest.
"Zuko," she breathes. She blinks and she is hugging him and he's hugging her, and she never wants to let go, but somehow she does.
Dinner goes about as well as it could have, all things considered. She sits between Zuko and Sokka, but Aang pulls her away after dinner. They have an awkward hushed conversation in the hallway, but she thinks he finally gets it. He promises that he'll focus more on rebuilding their friendship.
She's repacking her last bag when she hears a soft knock, and she's so glad to see it's Zuko. They go for a walk, and keep easy conversation. For a few moments she pretends they are back on Ember Island, chatting in between chores. But she can tell something is bothering him, and he finally turns to her with a grim tone in his voice.
"I wanted your opinion on something the council is going to bring up when I get back," he begins, and she notices how nervous he looks.
"What is it, Zuko?"
"They want to know when I'm going to marry Mai. They're concerned about heirs, or so they say."
"Oh." Mai. Of course. "And you don't want to get married?"
"Not now, no."
She bites her lip to steel her nerves before asking, "Do you not want to get married because they are pressuring you too early? Or because you don't want to marry Mai?"
His silence is all the answer she needs. She nods, and collects her thoughts.
(Mai, the one topic that he never mentioned in his letters. She could pretend their relationship wasn't real when she read his letters. Maybe it wasn't. She found the fact that he always left her out rather telling).
"I guess I understand their concern for heirs, though you said Azula is making great progress. But Zuko," she stops and grabs his arm, turning him to face her, "you've already made so many personal sacrifices for your country, and I think that's amazing, but I think love is the one thing they should let you have. If you don't want to get married right now, you shouldn't."
He gives her an odd look, a look she can't read, but finally smiles and hugs her. "Thanks for your wisdom, Katara."
She boards the airship the next day without saying goodbye to anyone else. She can't risk anyone asking her to stay again.
A/N: What is pacing? lol I hope this didn't feel too rushed since we have some time jumps going on here, but we are almost there!