Sokka rubbed his sisters back as he watched the others make camp. She hadn't wanted to talk, nor did she want anyone touching her. She clung to her brother and almost refused to let go. She hadn't said anything in three hours. Sokka looked down at her; her face was blank and empty.
"Two..." Sokka frowned as he heard his sister's voice small and distant. He leaned back and looked down at her.
"What?" She looked up at her brother with blank eyes.
"Two of them, two babies..." Sokka's eyes widened as his eyebrows raised at her. He moved so that she had to sit up and look at him.
"What did you just say?" Katara smiled at him weakly.
"I'm ...pregnant with two." Sokka nodded and rubbed his sister's arm as she laid her head back down on his stomach.
"Whose the father? Aang, or Zuko?"
"Yes." Sokka frowned.
"I'm sorry which one is the father?" Katara's shoulders came up as she closed her eyes.
"I think...both of them." Sokka frowned and shook his head. What? He pulled her so that she sat up and looked at him.
"Explain that? I don't understand." Katara bit her lip and took a deep breath.
"I really don't know. I had a dream...or a vision.. I don't know but that demon was in it. She told me, that I was carrying two children. One a fire bender, and one an air bender. She also said that they had both lied to me...that I had..But I don't know if I believe that." Sokka stared at his sister for a moment, then shook his head. He stood up leaving her by the tree, and walked over to the others. She watched as Sokka said something to them. They all stood up and walked over to her. She felt like she was about to be put on trial. She had an unyielding urge to run. Zuko and Aang sat down on either side of her. It wasn't until that moment, that she figured out that she was claustrophobic. At least people claustrophobic. She stood up only to have her brother step in front of her. She sat back down and looked up at him.
"Katara. I think we have this figured out." She blinked up at Sokka. He smiled and ruffled her hair and looked over to Zuko.
"Kuiodio came to you and told you that we had both lied to you. That we were both the fathers. Well I think in a way she maybe right." Katara frowned. Aang nodded and touched Katara's shoulder bringing the attention to him.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that we had to 'do' something." Sokka nodded.
"The way I see it, all the demon had to do was impregnate you herself..." Sokka frowned and shook his head. "Damn that sounded weird." Katara cocked her eyebrow.
"Okay so the demon got me pregnant. I can understand that part. Now explain the part where you both might still be the fathers...?" Toph smiled.
"Pull a orb of water into your hand." She said picking up some loose dirt. Katara did as she was told and looked back to Toph. "Okay, I'm the demon." Toph said. Zuko and Aang both reached out and touched the dirt with the tip of on finger. Katara watched as they both touched the water, the dirt came off of their fingers and stayed with the water as they pulled their hands back. Sokka smiled. He thought that would make sense.
"See, Katara. The demon was the provider. She made it so that all they had to do was touch you after she invaded your body. I figure that is when you became pregnant. She just needed the...pssh..I don't know, I guess the genes from the guys." Katara nodded as she listened then shook her head.
"Wait...ok...there was no sex, so that's a good thing. But now this means that I am pregnant with twin demon babies?" Sokka shrugged his head and nodded.
"Yeah, pretty much." She snorted and stood up, she fanned herself with her hand as her forehead broke out in sweat. She started walking leaving the others behind. Zuko looked at Aang and stood up. He ran to catch up with her.
"Katara?" She shook her head and kept walking. He frowned and grabbed her wrists turning her around to face him. She looked at him with a frown.
"I'm hot." She said and set her forehead on his shoulder. "I'm pregnant. They're demons. My stomach is bloated...and I'm hot." Zuko chuckled and grabbed her shoulders pushing her back a little so he could see her.
"You are carrying fire bender, the fever is to be expected. " She looked up at him with a frown.
"The demon part doesn't bother you." He frowned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him.
"Of course it does. But what can we do about it?" He said, but she didn't say anything. He frowned as her weight against him increased. He looked down at her. Her eyes were closed and her body was limp.
"Katara?" His frown deepened. She was unconscious, again. He turned and gave a shout out for the others. Sokka was the first to them and looked at Zuko with hard eyes.
"I didn't do anything. I think she's getting over heated. We need to get her to a physician." Sokka nodded. He turned to Aang.
"Cool her off the best you can." Sokka ordered as they all jumped onto Appa. Aang pulled some water from Katara's cantine and started to run his hand over her stomach when Toph grabbed his wrists.
"Not a good idea. If she's hot and you make her cold, you'll give her the chills. That is bad for her and the babies." Zuko nodded in agreement with Toph. He looked at Aang.
"Wind might be better." Zuko said. Aang nodded and let the water slip back into the pouch. Sokka landed Appa after twenty minutes, just on the outside of a small village. He jumped off and walked into the village. Zuko jumped down with Katara in his arms, and Aang helped Toph down. Sokka came back and met them.
"I've found a doctor. Hurry, he's waiting." He lead them into the town and to a small house. He pushed the door open and Zuko walked in holding Katara. The doctor looked up with cool ice blue eyes. He stood up from his chair, his features eerily beautiful, and his smile soft and welcoming. He had white hair pulled back into a pony tail, that hung in straight waves down to his knees. He pulled over his black fur coat and set it on the back of his chair.
"Bring her over here and set her on the bed." His voice was velvety as he spoke. Zuko felt dwarfed next to tall slim doctor. He laid Katara on the bed and stepped back. The doctor looked over her and touched her forehead gently.
"Amiek, bring me some lavender water please." Zuko watched as a man entered the room. Not near as tall as the doctor, but just as breathtaking. His black hair was feathered around his face, and bangs hung down covering mismatched eyes. He handed the doctor a bowl and smiled gently at Sokka as he entered the room.
"Don't worry, friends. Aix is one of the best doctors around. She'll be okay." The doctor turned to look at him with a cocked eyebrow.
"Flattering will get you nowhere, if you don't come help me." Amiek smiled and shooed them out of the room closing the curtain behind them. Sokka and Aang sat down on at the table, while Zuko and Toph took their seats on the floor. Zuko looked over at Sokka.
"Odd two." Aang nodded in agreement with Zuko.
"Yeah, did you see the man's eyes?" Zuko nodded and looked at Sokka as the boy started to speak.
"Didn't the doctor look a little like Yue?" Aang shrugged and looked up to see the doctor's assistant come out of the room.
"She's going to be okay. We have her stripped down and a lavender wash soaking in. She's resting." The doctor came out and smiled.
"She's awake. You can move on when you need to. Who is the father?" Zuko and Aang looked at each other and looked back tot he doctor. Zuko stood up.
"I am..." Aix smiled knowingly.
"Then you already know why she is feverish. I hate to say this with you traveling in a group, but she needs to stay cool. So she has to have a little as a top on as possible." Zuko frowned.
"Just what does that mean?" Katara walked out of the room, her stomach exposed. The arms and waist of her shirt had been cut off.
"It means I have to walk around like this." She growled.
