Disclaimer: Not mine.

Ignition

Chapter 7: Smoke

What just happened…?

What am I doing…?

Where did this come from…?

How in the hell did I earn this…?

Zuko watched Katara sleep in his arms, questions circling around in his head until he could barely see straight. He rearranged Katara gently, avoiding touching her arms as he shifted her. He rested her head against his shoulder and leaned back against the log behind him, allowing himself to look up at what little of the sky he could see from beneath the canopy of dark leaves. After several minutes staring upwards with no sign of an answer, he returned his gaze to Katara's face. She looked so calm…

Katara was clearly deep in slumber. Her face was blank aside from the small smile that rested there. Zuko allowed himself to smile slightly as he wondered what she was dreaming about. He reached up and gently brushed a whisp of her wavy, brown hair out of her face. Zuko was surprised when she turned towards him and snuggled closer. He remained very still, not quite sure what was happening. After a minute or so, he wrapped his arms around her gently, and pulled her closer. She was trembling.

Zuko frowned. He leaned closer to her, his forehead creased as he listened and pulled her closer. He realized Katara was muttering something, but it was muffled by his chest. He readjusted her again so he could hear.

"No…don't…you can't…stop…" Katara stammered incoherently, her brow knitted tightly. Her head moved from side to side and she wound her fingers into his clothing, clenching into fists and trembling harder.

Zuko stared down at her, completely lost. She seemed so…vulnerable. Before he would have dismissed it, but now he felt compelled to do something. If only he knew what…

Suddenly, she muttered his name.

Zuko's breath caught in his chest as he heard it. She seemed concerned about something, but most of all afraid, genuinely afraid. He pulled her closer again and whispered, "Katara…Katara I'm here…"

Slowly, she opened her eyes. As they adjusted to the light, she looked around, obviously disoriented. "What the…?" she mumbled before meeting his eyes. She placed a hand on her forehead and looked away, embarrassed and unable to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry…" she whispered, hiding her face against her knees which she had drawn up against her chest. Her muffled voice added, "This happens a lot."

Zuko leaned forward. "Bad dreams?" he asked. Katara looked up at him through narrowed eyes, certain he was mocking her. Instead she noticed a look of sincerity and concern she had not seen before. She was so surprised she answered without thinking.

"Yes. Ever since we met Aang and started this journey it's been like this. Just…nightmares." she said, glancing away once more. She was not used to being the one confiding in someone else. Katara was usually the rock, the one other people came to for advice. She never had the chance to be weak, and she hated it. Until then, she had never realized it. Her friends had needed her to be strong for them, that's all that had mattered at the time. Until that moment, she hadn't needed to be supported or held up in any way. A tear slid down her cheek and she turned away. "I'm sorry…" she repeated, her voice weak.

Zuko brushed the tear away. "Why in the world would you be sorry for something you cannot control?" he muttered, looking confused. In fact, he was quite confused. He never would have given himself such advice, he would have told himself to deal with it, to get over it, to push it away. For some reason, he felt drawn to protect Katara.

There was a lull in the conversation as each averted their gaze awkwardly. "Tell me about your dreams," Zuko said quietly, nudging her ever so gently with his shoulder.

Katara pulled back and looked him in the eyes for a moment, considering his request. Her dreams were private - they always had been. Then again, no one had ever cared to ask about them. Katara had always been the one to comfort everyone else. Looking into his eyes, she saw the sincerity and the concern therein. With a quiet sigh, she began.

"Ever since we found Aang, I've had these dreams. It's always the same thing. We're all together, me, Sokka, Aang, and Toph. Everything starts out alright. But then we're attacked. There's always this huge inferno, blinding white. I try to bend, but something has blocked my chi. I am forced to watch as one by one my friends and my brother fall to this unseen foe. I watch them suffer and I can't do anything...I'm the only one who is spared. Even though I beg…I b-beg for d-death…" she trailed off, choked by sobs. "I'm sorry, I…I just can't handle being alone." she whispered.

Zuko sat there for a moment, considering what Katara had said. "Katara…" he whispered comfortingly. "Katara, you don't have to worry. Your friends, your brother, they're safe. They can take care of eachother. They've proven that time and time again," he said quietly. Even though he had only travelled with the group for a limited amount of time, even he recognized the fellowship between them. It had become very clear to him that the bonds between them could not be broken.

Katara nodded. "I know, I just can't bear not knowing, not being their to help…" she mutterd.

"Katara," Zuko began with a small smile, "You can't protect them from everything. You can't always be right there. No matter how hard you try." He suddenly understood what she was going through. Having lost her mother at a young age, Katara had to grow up rapidly. She had become so accustomed to being the motherly figure, it was difficult for her to adjust. Zuko had been forced to mature quickly as well. "You can't be the selfless all the time either. Sometimes you have to put aside their needs. You have needs too."

Katara blinked and looked up at him. Sniffing slightly, she managed a crooked smile and a choking laugh. "You know Zuko, you surprise me at every turn," she said simply.

He cocked his head to the side with a minute grin. "And how is that?" he countered.

"You're not at all what I expected."

Author's Note: Wow it's been a year since I updated….I AM SO SORRY. I have much more time now, so check back. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. So…help me out? Feel free to bash me over the head with a cricket bat (just watched Shawn of the Dead).