Chapter 6: Sweet Dreams are Made of …

By: RebLaw

A/N: I'm sorry I've been working a lot (yeay for massive amounts of overtime), and been pretty uninspired lately. But I am happy to finally have this chapter done. I think the story is probably more than halfway done at this point (although I can never be too sure, sometimes ideas just hit me or things take longer to develop than I'd expect).

Spleefmistress - Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter then (I think you will!)

Devilchika18 – Yes, Azula and Katara are probably my unlikely-to-happen-in-canon-OTP

db – your wait is over!

kidcrud – it'll turn out interestingly, at least I think the ending is interesting :-)

PillowQueen- read and you'll find out!

fgee- thank you, I intend to finish this story! Even if it does take a while between chapters.

crazyhorse – thank you for your reviews, I'm glad that someone besides myself is looking things over (I'm kind of not an English-major type person, so it doesn't surprise me that I don't always catch my errors)

expect the unexpected - thank you for your comment

Billy Rose – I think Aang worries about Katara and Azula than the other way around.

-.-.-

She was back at the stream. The green foliage nearby contrasted nicely with the tan sand that lined the stream. Azula was naked, and looking at her, directly into her eyes, directly into her soul. Her heart felt like it was going to stop. Her eyes were drawn to the princesses red lips, to her silky black hair, to the slight curves of her body.

"I know you want me," Azula said with a smug smile.

Katara's towel slipped.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Katara said angrily. "Why would I want you? I love Jet!"

"Jet's dead," Azula said, looking the waterbender over like a hungry wolf. "And you only loved him because you thought he was strong and could protect you. You were wrong little girl. You want me. I'm powerful. I'm strong."

Katara stood there shaking with rage, as she began to feel another emotion engulf her. Her face blushed deeply.

Drawing far too close to Katara, Azula whispered in the other girl's ear, "But you don't need him to protect you anymore. You are stronger than he ever was."

Katara pushed Azula away angrily, finding her voice she said, "Why are you saying this? I don't know that he's dead! He could have survived!"

Azula made a pouting face, and gave Katara some distance. "He's not here with you, is he? He didn't care enough to come find out."

"He could still be recovering!" Katara said firmly, her voice quickly losing its conviction. "Besides, what do you care?"

"I want you to be mine Katara," Azula said, her voice not betraying anything but confidence bordering on arrogance.

"I'll never be yours," Katara said; the resolve in her voice non existent.

Azula smiled as she moved so close to Katara she could feel her breath.

"I know you want me," Azula said. "Why don't we stop playing these little games?"

Katara moved closer to Azula and did not resist as the Fire Nation princess put her arms around her. Katara felt her body begin to ache, as if hungry.

"Silly little Water Tribe peasent," Azula said in a mock chiding voice. Her mouth mere inches from Katara's. "I knew you'd come around."

Katara looked deeply into Azula's eyes, begging her. She wanted her. She wanted to feel her kiss, to feel her hands on her body. She wanted it so badly it almost seemed to hurt.

Azula smiled and leaned in to kiss Katara. As the two girls kissed Katara felt some satisfaction, but an even greater desire, and a world of confusion.

Katara awoke in a cold sweat. She sat up and saw Azula on the other side of the makeshift structure. Azula appeared to be very soundly asleep, her face look angelic. She actually looked to be about her age. Normally Azula looked at least five years older than her. It was how she talked, how she carried herself.

Katara sighed and lied back down hoping to get some more sleep, without weird dreams. As she lied awake she wondered what in the world she had eaten that had caused her to have such a weird dream. Nothing major had happened at the stream. She just felt odd because she noticed Azula's figure, and wondered for a second if the evil princess' porcelain skin was as smooth as it looked. She just had figured it was jealousy or something, not that she ever disliked her tan skin.

This was something that she couldn't tell Aang about, he wouldn't understand, he was just a child. She wished Toph and Sokka were there. Sokka would've known what to do, and Katara knew she wouldn't be feeling as uneasy if Toph were there with them.

She sighed and tried to think of a way to get herself away from Azula. It wasn't like they had an extra tent. And what's more, the raining season was coming. Katara sighed into her sleeping bag. She felt trapped. She couldn't just tell Azula to get lost.

Why was she having such weird dreams about Azula? Was that what Azula wanted? Maybe it was just her intuition. Why would Azula want her? There were probably a lot of girls in the Fire Nation who would welcome her into their lives in whatever role. She already had two girls who followed her orders to a T. It all made no sense.

An even more startling possibility entered her mind. Was her dream what she herself wanted? No, she couldn't. She still wasn't over Jet yet. Water Tribe women didn't like women, it was taboo. She had heard of other cultures, where men married many women, and it wasn't uncommon for some of the wives to keep each other company when the husband was occupied. But that wasn't her culture.

Sure she'd noticed other girls who were pretty, but that was just an admiration of beauty, not anything perverted like her dream. Who didn't admire beautiful women? It wasn't like she didn't like guys or anything either. Haru, Jet, and that other guy from that village. She liked plenty of guys. She REALLY liked them.

Katara threw her sleeping bag off of herself, she felt too warm for it. Her skin cooled, the sweat evaporating, cooling her down. She doubted she'd get to sleep again any time soon. She stole a frustrated, almost angry, glare at Azula as she slid out of the tent as quietly as humanly possible.

The night air was cool and there was a slight breeze to the northwest. The air was still humid though. The chill permeated her body quickly. Before long she was cold. Cold but comfortable thinking just about how cold she was. How alone she was. She wondered if Jet was alone. He probably was. Alone and alive or alone and dead. Jet had been always alone, even when he was leading his gang.

Azula kind of seemed the same way, Katara caught herself thinking. The princess didn't seem to connect to anyone either. She reprimanded herself, she shouldn't think of Azula the same way she thought of Jet. Azula was evil. Jet was misguided, but good. And he made amends.

Not that she didn't like him anyway back when he was still evil. But that was different. She thought anyway. Why was life so complicated for her?

"You're awake," a tired voice stated.

Katara's whole body tensed up. "Yes, I can't sleep."

"Pity."

"I miss someone dear to me," Katara said strongly, wanting to be clear to Azula.

"Your mother?" Azula asked, remembering what Zuko had told her. Lying she added, "I miss mine too."

"No, not family," Katara said, in an irritated tone. "A boy."

"I miss my brother too," Azula lied, smiling sweetly. She was really enjoying the pleasant soul-bearing conversation. "While he's misguided sometimes, it's always nice to know that I'll always have big bro I can rely on when the chips are down."

Katara frowned, Azula wasn't making any sense. "You and your brother always appeared to hate each other."

"It's different for us," Azula shrugged. With a prideful tone she continued, "We're not normal siblings. We're expected to be rivals from the day the other is born. After all, only one can ascend to the throne."

Katara looked distrustfully at Azula.

"Anyway, tell me about your boy toy?" Azula said suddenly almost sounding perky. "Is he cute?"

"Of course," Katara said pridefully, deciding to play up her crush. "He's wonderful! I want to marry Jet and have his babies!"

"Wow, that sounds so serious," Azula said, a hint of slyness in her eyes. The Jet character sounded like a weak excuse to her.

"Girls our age are getting married every day," Katara replied. "Or at least they would be if it weren't for the war."

Azula smiled. "I guess that is a reason I should be glad for the war."

Katara glared at Azula.

"It's the only reason," the princess hastily amended.

Katara rolled her eyes and decided that she needed more space from the nosey princess. She began to walk away.

"Even if you hate me," Azula said suddenly. "I'm still glad to have met you."

"Why?" Katara asked as she whipped around, staring at Azula with a fierceness that excited the princess. "Why do you care? I'm a peasant, I have a complete life, I am my own woman. I don't want any pity, nor do I care to cater to foreign royalty."

"That's why Katara," Azula said, an earnest tone to her voice. "You think I find beggars, servants, and leeches interesting? They sicken me! In my father's kingdom I am the revered princess. Everyone always go out of their way to get along with me no matter how difficult I am. No one has the strength to resist me."

"The Avatar does," Katara said. "And that's why I believe in him. He has the power to save the world."

Azula hesitated and then nodded in agreement. "I know, that's why I'm on his side."

"I'm going to get some sleep," Katara said to excuse herself.

"I'm glad that I got this chance to talk to you Katara," Azula said in a sweet tone. "I feel like I understand you much better now."

-.-.-

Aang sighed and turned over. He was only twelve years old. He was the last of his kind. He had the weight of the world on his shoulder. He really didn't need to hear about how Katara loved Jet. But he did. He was a light sleeper.