Disclaimer: Me: "Not..." Seagulls from Finding Nemo: "Mine! Mine! Miiiiine! Mine! Miiine!" Sadly, I do not own Avatar. Aww poor Zutarians.

Ignition

Chapter 5: Burns

The heat which he expected to be comforting did not soothe Zuko in the least as he stood atop the hill, watching the arena burn. He glared, his gaze unblinking, as the infernal place was consumed in flames.

Iroh watched for a few moments before turning and leaving. Before he left however, he placed a hand on Katara's shoulder and met her gaze as if to say, "It will be alright."

Katara nodded and closed her eyes, placing her left fist in her right palm and inclining her head. Iroh too dipped his head before walking slowly over the crest of the hill and back towards the palace. He shook his head slightly, as if he knew what Zuko was planning. He knew this would be difficult for Zuko, and for Katara as well. And I finally started enjoying her company...

The young water bender watched the fire for a few moments. All destructive capabilities aside, it was quite beautiful. All thoughts of the grandeur of the flames left her head when she glanced upwards at Zuko. The dust and soot from the air had collected on his face and chest, the sweat that drenched him leaving small trails. His clothing was blackened in places and very dirty from the previous fights. It was difficult for Katara to see him in such a way, and it became even more difficult for her when she saw his eyes.

Katara had never seen such a tortured expression conveyed solely through the eyes. His golden eyes were narrowed both in contempt and pain. There was no spark within them, no cheerful twinkle or mischievous glint that had resided there previously. His gaze was cold, dark, brooding, and terrifying to behold. In that moment, Katara began to understand. Never before had she seen someone so young appear so old, so life-experienced, and so hurt. A single tear slipped down her face.

Zuko was numb. His mind was blank, his body beyond the point of sensation. It seemed like his very soul had been torn in two, rent. Everything around him seemed to slip away into oblivion. Time meant nothing to him. Days, weeks, seasons could have passed, and it would mean nothing. The arena burned slowly. Hours passed, and he still remained standing there, vigilant.

Suddenly, as if it were a change in the direction of the wind, Zuko turned and began walking down the hill away from Katara and the arena. His eyes stared at the ground, but he seemed not to see anything before him. His steps were sure, and it was clear he had some idea where he was going, but he did not seem to be very coherent beyond putting one foot in front of the other. It seemed to be all he could manage to do.

Katara was startled at his sudden abandonment of his vigil. Her heartbeat accelerated as she watched him go; she reached out feebly as if she could stop him.

Zuko turned suddenly to cast a quick glance over his shoulder. His eyes focused on the girl on the hill with her hand slightly extended towards him.

The two stared at each other for a moment in silence, seeing nothing but each other. Katara let her hand fall to her side, her eyes imploring. Please, don't go… Katara didn't think she could bear it if he left her then. Not after everything they had been through within the last few days. What happened between us? she thought as she remembered him comforting her and the electric feeling of his touch. And the kiss... came the nagging voice in the back of her mind, a small blush creeping up her cheeks as the confusion washed over her. In less than a week, the exiled Fire Prince-turned-Fire Lord had gone from being her mortal enemy to becoming a close friend. And maybe more...added the voice. "Oh shutup." she muttered to herself as she glanced across the void to Zuko.

Zuko could feel the weight in her crystal-blue stare and knew what she wanted him to do, what she expected of him. He had not known Katara for very long,stung him to turn his back on her now, but he couldn't bear the thought of hurting her further. There was no one who could comfort him now, save one. And he had no idea what had become of her or where she was. Zuko knew that he had to find his mother. After destroying a part of his family, broken as it was, he felt obligated to help rebuild it in some fashion. Zuko did not know where or to what end the journey would take him, but he was convinced if he could find his mother, it would help to heal him and the numbness within. It was his way of filling the void the war had left within him and, in his eyes, the only way to put things right. Without a backwards glance, he turned and strode through the trees and into the shadows.

Katara watched his shadow recede against the sunset, his silhouette the only distinction against the reddish-orange glow fading beneath the horizon. As she watched him go, she felt a part of her leave with him as well. Almost instantly, she began to miss him. What is wrong with me...it obviously means nothing to him. We were caught up in the moment, that's all. Stop reading so far into these things. You're being a fool. she thought, trying to rationalize the previous night's events. She glanced up at him briefly before averting her eyes once more. He doesn't care for you at all. Suddenly, she could see him no longer and she realized he had disappeared into the trees. She sighed and rested her head on her knees which she had drawn up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around herself as the sun slipped beneath the horizon and twilight set in, causing the temperature to drop. "This is the Fire Nation..." she mumbled, disgruntled. "Shouldn't it be warmer?"

A short laugh came from behind her. Katara spun around and stood up, clearly startled. She glanced around and spread her arms defensively. Most likely one of those traitors from earlier...I'll make them regret what they did to Zuko...

"Peace, Katara." came a grisly voice she instantly recognized. Iroh stepped from the shadows, his hands held out in front of him as if to surrender. "Don't shoot." he added with a chuckle.

Katara relaxed instantly, her shoulders drooping as she looked away from him. She mumbled an apology which was quickly waived aside.

"In these times, I can hardly blame you. Especially after our display of such hospitality earlier." Iroh said with a frown. He sat down and patted the grass beside him, indicating she should do so as well. Katara obeyed. Before she could speak, Iroh held up a hand to stop her. "I know he has gone. What is more, I know he has gone to find his mother." he began. Katara merely blinked in surprise, but allowed the old general to continue. "He left too quickly for me to help him, but I brought some supplies for the journey, as well as some information I do not believe he has. I packed blankets, reed mats, a pot, a pan, some travel food, disguises, and a map. I would give more, but speed was of the utmost importance. I had no idea when he was going to depart, and I figured the lighter the baggage, the better anyway."

Katara nodded, still following the conversation, but unsure as to where she fit into the plan. Finally, she held up her hands. "Please...General...I don't understand. What do you want me to do?" she asked. "He made it rather clear he wanted to go alone." she added with a hint of sadness as she glanced towards the hill from which he had disappeared. A sigh escaped her, barely audible, but not unnoticed by the perceptive Iroh.

He placed a hand gently on Katara's shoulder and turned her face towards his. "Whether he wants to acknowledge it or not, Zuko needs you. You and no one else. He cannot make this journey alone, it will break him. You are the only one to whom he will listen Katara." he said in his quiet, gravelly voice. "It's up to you. I will not force you to go."

The corner of Katara's mouth turned upward slightly as she smirked. Her voice was airy and quiet as she spoke. "You haven't left me much of a choice, now have you..." she muttered as she stood up. "You said you had information for me?" she added.

Iroh nodded. "The last place Her Majesty Ursa was known to be. It is a tiny village called Kuruk. It was where she was last rumored to be before every trace of her disappeared. It would be a good place to start." he said. As if in response to the confused look upon Katara's face, he added, "No. I don't know where it is. It is an incredibly small hamlet. Somewhere up North I do believe. The one who brought us the message was wearing furs. I am afraid that is all I can tell you dear Katara."

Katara reached forward to take the bag from Iroh who clasped her hand.

"I cannot thank you enough Katara. In all of this, I think you are the one person with whom he has really connected. You helped bring him back, and for that I can never completely thank you." he said quietly, his voice full of affection.

"Let's just hope I can do it again." Katara muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She slung the pack over her shoulder and bowed to Iroh before turning her back to him and marching downwards. She descended the hill until she was level with the charred arena. A shiver ran down the length of her spine as she remembered what had transpired there. Another memory of the arena flooded her mind. She paused as she remembered the pain she had felt as she watched him fall, the sense of urgency with which she tried so desperately to heal him, her savior, and the gut-wrenching loss she had felt when she seemed to have failed him. As much as she was against intruding upon his pain, she knew she could not fail him again. She stepped forward once more and continued past the arena, unable to look away from the scorched stone ruins that were left. A light spot drew her gaze; it was the moonlight reflected against the last remaining portion of an alabaster pillar. She frowned and slowed her pace, eventually coming to a stop. The area around the pillar was scorched beyond recognition, everything charred and crumbling to ash. However, this one circle was left unscathed. Puzzled, Katara approached it. She stopped and gave a light gasp when she realized it was the place in which she and Zuko had rested hours before. "He left it untouched..." she whispered, reaching out to touch the cool stone. She closed her eyes and knelt in the small circle of unscathed earth. "Why..." she mumbled, confused. Why would he have left this one small area standing, unblemished, when he had tried so hard to destroy the evidence of what had happened in the arena along with the memories that accompanied it? She let all of the feelings she had experienced there return in a wave and soon found herself sitting on the ground, somewhere between crying and smiling. She hiccuped quietly and wiped a tear from her eye before she stood again. "You really enjoy making this difficult, don't you Zuko..." she whispered with a crooked half-smile before she turned on her heel and strode off in the direction in which she had seen Zuko depart.

Zuko walked until he could no longer do so and surveyed his surroundings for the first time. He sat down on a large, flat rock on the bank of a small creek that babbled along cheerfully. The dense forest surrounding him was dark and silent. While he once would have found the solitude comforting, Zuko now felt a pang of loneliness. Even the stars above were shielded from his view by the leafy and dark canopy above him. Under normal circumstances, Zuko would have been busy setting up camp- finding food, starting a small fire, the basics. This time however, he could not bring himself to do any of those things. instead, he merely stretched out on his front on the rock. He crossed his warms in front of his chest and rested his chin there, his golden eyes staring into the rapidly moving water beneath him. Idly he let a few fingers slip into the cool water. The feeling of the water rushing around his fingertips was calming and he was suddenly reminded of Katara. Suddenly, he felt a surprising tingling feeling in his hand that felt oddly like an electrical current. Instantly, he pulled his hand from the water and began to examine it. There was no outward sign that anything was wrong, and in fact, the odd sensation made him smile slightly. It felt like lightning... he thought.

A noise caused the young man to start. He leapt into a crouch upon the rock, ready to defend himself. His eyes narrowed as they searched the shadows surrounding him. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the snap of a twig to his left. He spun, his hands before him ready to strike. A shadowy figure moved among the mushes and foliage. Zuko coiled himself up, ready to spring as soon as the figure came through the bushes. Not a good night to cross me...he thought. The figure stepped through the bushes without halting. Zuko did not recognize the grey cloak, however he did recognize the emblem: Fire Nation. Without further thought, he attacked.

He leapt off the rock and spun in a manner that was, at once, graceful and aggressive. From his extended foot erupted a whip of orange fire, accompanied quickly by two balls of fire which were sent flying from his fists as he punched the air. Zuko landed deftly, his arms close to his body as he awaited the man's attack. It never came.

The figure wavered for a moment and then collapsed. Zuko nodded his head with a triumphant grunt of approval. He lowered his arms and stepped forward quickly to examine his would-be attacker. With a nudge of his foot, he rolled the man onto his back. The hood obscured most of the man's face. Zuko bent down and pushed the hood back. The sight brought him to his knees.

"No..." he muttered. "No, no, no, no NO!" he repeated, his hands trembling as he reached out to brush aside the wavy brown hair that encircled the slim, dark face of the young woman sprawled before him. The sight of the livid red scars that encircled her wrists and wound themselves around her forearms tortured him. Guilt consumed him as his fingers grazed the side of her delicate face. "Katara...Katara no...I didn't..." he stammered. "Please..." He bent forward and pressed his forehead against hers. "This is my fault for leaving you...please don't..." he continued. As soon as he had left the crest of the hill, he missed her, but he had not allowed himself to turn back. He had meant to save her from the journey that was ahead of him, to allow her to return to some semblance of a normal life. Agni knows she deserves it...he had thought. He had never imagined she would follow him. He cradled her body in his arms, not knowing what to do. He knew nothing of healing, and it was quite apparent that water bending was beyond him anyway. He allowed his fingers to trace her facial features lightly before setting her down gently upon the rock.

Zuko could not water bend, but he could at least attempt to treat her burns. "Water...I need water." he muttered before turning towards the creek. "Alright. Easy enough..." he whispered, trying to talk himself through the process. He remembered watching from a doorway as one of the attendants aided a soldier in his youth. She had soaked strips of fabric in water and wrapped them around his burns. "Okay cloth...cloth..." he muttered. He glanced down at his tattered tunic and shrugged, pulling it over his head easily. He tore the red and brown fabric easily into strips which he then soaked in the cold water. Gently, Zuko wrapped the burned portions of Katara's arms in the sodden rags. He tied them in place so they were snug before folding her arms over her body. He rolled up what little remained of his tunic and used it to cushion her head. Zuko watched her chest rise and fall feebly as her shallow breathing continued. He frowned when she began to shiver. Without a second thought he dragged himself closer to her and huddled by her side. He did not hesitate as he put his arm gently across her body and pulled her closer to him. Her body felt oddly cool. Probably because of the damp cloth. Zuko pulled her even closer and wrapped himself around her. His chin rested atop her head, his eyes staring straight ahead as he waited for her condition to change. "Come on Katara..." he whispered.

Author's Note: Alright, so this is the result after a full day of work, hitting the pool with a friend, babysitting three hyperactive children and wrestling them into bed, plus 2 cups of coffee. I beg your forgiveness in advance. Sorry it's so long...tell me if I should split it up into two chapters or something. Idunno how daunting it might be. For once I actually like this one. (Lala: "Zuko's rather emo...isn't he..." Yes. Yes he is. I -like- his moodiness. )