A/N: I know that some of you were upset with where I ended the last chapter. At that point, I really didn't know which direction I wanted the story to go in. But I'm pretty sure I've found a heading for the rest of the story. Enjoy!
Katara woke in the hall with a pounding headache.
"What am I- Ursa!" She screamed as she remembered the fight that gave her the headache. Realizing the danger her daughter could be in, she ran down the corridor. When she arrived in the toddler's room, Zuko was sprawled, unconscious, on the floor, and Ursa was in her crib with the small cushion still over her angelic face.
"Ursa!" Katara shrieked, fearing her only child dead. She pulled the pillow off of her daughter and threw it to the floor gracelessly. "Ursa! Ursa, if you can hear mommy, I need you to let me know, okay? Ursa, please!" She bawled and held her baby tightly, until she was shocked from her anguish from a soft cough coming from the small girl in her arms. "Ursa," she cried. "Oh, Ursa."
"Momma?" Ursa asked hesitantly, causing her mother to cry harder with relief and joy.
Picking up her daughter and leaving the nursery, she walked quietly into the kitchen for the thousand dollars Zuko always kept hidden under the lose floor tile next to the fridge for emergencies. After writing a note to her husband, Katara left the house with Ursa, having no intentions of returning.
-/3-
My Dearest Zuko,
I'm so sorry it has come to this. I just can't stay with you any longer. You almost killed your own daughter. I realized today that you weren't trying to help me when you beat me. That you were trying to control me. I'm not a dog and my daughter isn't something you can just decide you don't want anymore. I truly love you, I do, but I am a person and deserve to be treated like one. I can't get that from you. I just won't make excuses anymore. I'm leaving you, Zuko, and taking Ursa with me. Please don't try and find us. I'm going to file for divorce, sole-custody, and a restraining order as soon as I can, even though it pains me to have to admit my marriage was a complete failure.
I truly wish you a long, happy life, Zuko, but you need help I can't offer.
Love always,
Katara
Zuko awoke as the sun was sinking low on the horizon. Looking at the crib and the pillow, he remembered what he had done. Running to the crib, he discovered Ursa was gone. "Maybe it was all a dream," he thought hopefully as he wandered into the kitchen to feed his growling stomach. Walking past the table, he saw Katara's short note. "Grocery shopping?" he thought as he picked up the short note.
As he read, his face fell and tears formed in his eyes. "What the hell kinda sick joke is this, Katara!" he yelled. Running through the house, he checked every room, not able to believe his wife had taken his daughter and left, but also not able to find a trace of them in their home. It was like they had just disappeared. Realizing Katara and Ursa were gone, that they had left him all alone, he sank to his knees and cried into his hands. He was ashamed of this weakness he allowed himself right then, but was too broken to stop. Too broken to think of getting off the floor. "Fuck You, Katara!" he yelled as he beat on the floor. "I will find you and restore what is mine! I will restore my honor!"
A/N: Oh, how the plot has thickened…
R&R please!