Part Two: Spring

Chapter Three: Waking From An Endless Nightmare

I love you, Zuko.

I also hate you with every fiber of my being

For making my life so hard

And miserable

And lonely.

But I suppose the love outweighs the hatred

Because I still miss you.

Do you miss me?

"Waterbending took years for me to master completely."

The firebender sat, enthralled, as the girl drew several waterwhips out from the marble fountains surrounding them.

"This actually took me a week to learn. Aang was the one who helped me perfect it." She bent the three to her will, forming intricate patterns and shapes as she looped the water, drew it apart, then meshed it back together in perfect harmony. "In fact, I learned this move from the Waterbending scroll that I stole from the pirates."

Zuko made a face. "You still remember the scroll?"

"How could I forget? I got tied to a tree."

"Oh. I guess I should apologize for that."

He watched as Katara sent the water flying into the air, bending each whip into a different shape.

"Waterbending is more of a defensive art, actually. It's more graceful. Elegant." She drew the water back to her side and twirled each strand. "Unlike Firebending, which is fueled by passion and anger."

"Hey, not all Firebenders are angry."

"I know, just the vast majority of them are. I can name a few."

"Name all of them."

"Easy." She bent the waterwhips back into their respective fountains and sat by his side, a finger tapping on her chin in mock contemplation. "Hmm, let's see. There's your crazy psychopath of a sister, Azula... no offense."

"None taken. Continue."

"Admiral Zhao, the Combustion guy-"

"Excuse me?"

"Sokka nicknamed him, don't ask. Anyways, there's Sozin, that's a big one, and-"

"What about my father?"

"What?"

Immediately, Zuko could tell that he had done something wrong.

"My father's terrible, right?"

A silence answered his question. He looked at her, studying her reaction carefully.

"He hurt Aang," she said flatly, avoiding his gaze. "Ozai's horrible, he's... I'm just happy he's gone now, alright?"

Zuko could tell she didn't want to speak anything more on the matter and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, and to his amazement, she didn't make an effort to move it away. She closed her eyes, as if she were trying to block the world out.

"Aang's gone, thanks to him. The world's salvation... gone. They didn't even get a chance to thank him."

"That's not true. We're thanking him now, right? By making everything better?"

"No, it's not that easy." She sat up then, sighing. "Making everything better was what he wanted us to do, but it isn't exactly thanking him. I was his friend, and I never got a chance..." She exhaled shakily, her breath coming out in a small cloud in the frosty, early spring air. "I never got a chance to tell him how much he meant to me."

As much as he hated to admit it, the teenage boy felt a tiny twinge of jealousy as the girl mentioned her best friend. He drew his hand back from her shoulder and sighed.

"You're talking about Aang like he's already gone," he stated. It didn't lighten matters, but he felt like he had to tell her. "He has a chance, you know. The Northern Water Tribe is known for its healers."

"You know that his chances are extremely slim."

"But you know there's that chance." Zuko looked out, studying the snowy expanse before him. "It won't help to give up hope."

The girl turned away, and her voice came softly through the thin, frigid air.

"All my life, I've been telling myself to keep on hoping. It had been the only thing that saved me from caving in to the war."

"That doesn't mean you should stop now."

"I just don't think it's wise to hope when there's no reason to." She looked at him squarely in the eyes, then, blue eyes piercing through hazel eyes. "A friend's life isn't worth lying to myself about. I can either accept his death or hang on to it until he leaves us."

"Why is it so hard to keep hanging on? You can at least think about what it would be like if Aang lived."

"There's no use in that, either. It hurts when your wishes don't come true, and it hurts even more if you wished for something impossible. I'm done with dreaming, Zuko. I've got to face reality and take things as they come."

"Why are you like this all of a sudden?"

She raised an eyebrow slightly. "Like what?"

"So uncaring all of a sudden. When you came aboard my ship, you were practically glued to Aang. But now, you're so distant. It's as if you don't even care anymore."

"Don't ever say that." She glared at him, and he sighed.

"You're distancing yourself from him because you don't want to get hurt. That's selfish."

"It's not selfish! I know that the last thing Aang wants is for anyone to get hurt because of him."

"But ignoring him isn't going to cheer him up much, either."

A uncomfortable silence ensued, and the Waterbender crossed her arms, her eyes downcast.

"Frankly, Zuko, you can't cheer a dying boy much. I do care for him, but there's no use doting on him like a mother."

"You know he needs you, Katara." Zuko glanced at her to see if she was listening. She was tracing a line in the snow with the tip of her boot, trying to avoid any rebuttals to her comment. "He needs you, even if it's not going to help immediately. I can tell how much he cares for you."

"Why are you saying this?" She glared at him then, a hint of annoyance flaring in her cerulean eyes. "Why are you trying to make this harder for me?"

"Because I'm not leaving you until I get Aang's forgiveness. And to do that, he needs to know that we care about him enough to know that he'll survive." He waited for a reply, but recieved only silence. "Katara, you said that you loved him. How can you love someone who you think is dead already? How can you love someone you don't believe in anymore?"

"I never said that I stopped caring about Aang," came the muttered reply. "The only reason you're telling me this is because you want to gain our favor."

"I guess we're both selfish, then," he replied then, the cool spring breeze billowing across the frozen city.

"Since your birthday's coming up, I figured I should get you something. You know, as a gift."

Sokka looked at the girl pointedly, and she shrugged.

"I think getting me out of here would do. I'm probably gonna get all sorts of fancy stuff anyways, so don't waste your time."

"No, really. I should get you something nice." He paused for a second, noticing the grimace on the girl's face. "I mean, not fancy nice, but something you'll like."

She shifted on the bedspread slightly. "I'd like to get out of here."

"True, but seeing as it's your birthday and all, you know?"

She sighed. "Why do you care so much? It's just turning another year older. I'm still blind, breathing, and alive."

"I know that. You just deserve something for all the times you saved my butt this year." He shrugged, and Toph raised an eyebrow. "After all, we gave Aang presents for his birthday."

"That's because he's not getting engaged at a fancy ball anytime soon."

Sokka frowned. "Fine. But I'll get you something anyways."

He got off the bed and walked towards the window, leaning ever-so-slightly on the wall.

"Did you mail the letter yet?" Toph ventured. A short silence before the warrior replied.

"Yes and no."

"What's the bad news?"

"I don't have the Earth King's address." A blank expression fell upon the blind girl's face, and she sighed in mock disappointment.

"Oh, dear, Great Plan Guy. Whatever shall we do? This wasn't your fault at all, by the way, blame it all on the Earth King for not telling us his address!"

He glared at her, remembered she couldn't see it, then gave up trying to display his impatience.

"Well, the good news is, I did mail the letter to the Earth King's nephew. His address was on the guest list, so it was fairly easy. I just hope he gets the hint that the letter was addressed to his uncle."

"Anyone who doesn't get the hint probably isn't very high up in society."

"Fair enough. Now, back to the present."

"Can we change the subject?"

She flopped over on the bedspread, creating wrinkles in the smooth silk covering. "Look, I still have the meteorite bracelet you gave me. I like it a lot. Can't that count for my present?"

"I don't get why you're so against birthday presents."

"Well, typically, presents are used to celebrate birthdays."

"I know that."

"I'm turning thirteen, and if our plan doesn't work, what will we be celebrating? A life of being locked up and another year of Earthbending lessons. Beginning year." She scowled at the thought. "The only thing I can celebrate at this point is getting out of here, which is a present good enough for me."

"So we're celebrating our escape?"

"Yeah, pretty much. It sounds kinda desperate when you put it that way, though."

The warrior thought for a moment.

"Alright, then. I won't get you a birthday present."

"Good."

"I'll get you an escape present."

"What?"

"We're celebrating getting out of this place, so you need something to remember it by." He paused for a minute, realizing how utterly idiotic he must have sounded to Toph. She considered his words for a second before replying.

"Escape present. Sounds good to me." She twirled the meteorite bracelet around her wrist absentmindedly. "Just don't get me another dress."

The grin on the girl's face was the only reply Sokka needed.

"Where are you going?"

Katara looked at the prince quizically, and he sighed.

"I'm going to visit Aang. He needs to know that someone actually hopes for his recovery."

Zuko paused for a second, noticing the discomfort in Katara's eyes.

"I take it that you don't want to come?"

"No, just... tell him I said hi." She averted his gaze and walked away, her boots crunching in the melting snow.

It's silence. It's cold, and there's no sound.

It's feels different,

But I can't remember how I felt before.

Muted voices from outside. Sounds.

"He's recovering. Try not to disturb him, though."

The last time I saw her

Was that night.

It was just a nightmare, after all.

There's no point in believing in the unreal.

Footsteps as he approached the boy. Quietly, he stepped forwards. Hesitantly, he stopped.

I haven't been able to think in a while.

Lately, I've realized how much I've missed having some semblance of consciousness.

I've missed many things.

I've missed feeling her arms around me.

Seeing the boy wrapped in bandages, dying, made him wonder if he had made the right choice in coming.

His eyes were closed; his chest rose and fell with every labored breath. He was weak, but still alive.

Dying, but alive.

"I might never have the chance to tell you this," the visitor began, the sound of his voice cutting through the silence. He paused for a second, noticing the eerie silence in the air.

There was no reply. Zuko hadn't expected one. It was like talking to the wall.

"I just wanted to tell you that... I'm sorry. I need to apologize for what I've done. For what my nation's done."

Silence. He continued, eyes downcast.

"The Fire Nation's ended so many lives and hurt so many people. The Fire Nation hurt you, and I'm sorry for that. I need your forgiveness. I need the world's forgiveness. That's why I'm here."

Is that all, Zuko? Is that all you're sorry for? An inner voice gnawed at his soul, and he took a deep breath, looking away.

I'm sorry that I love your best friend, Aang.

He gazed at the floor, trying not to look at the boy before him.

I'm sorry that I love your Waterbending teacher.

He looked up, expecting to see the same lifeless, dying body before him. The same sleeping boy. The same Avatar.

Two grey-brown eyes stared back at him from the makeshift bed.

Two hours after a reputable Fire Nation official dined with the Fire Lord, a royal taster was found dead on the palace grounds.

A tray of tea lay on the ground beside him, the spilled beverage wet on the tiles. Broken porcelain littered the floor.

"Aren't you mad, Azula? He failed. The Fire Lord's still in perfect health."

Ty Lee said this with a smile on her face, although Mai could see that her hands were trembling.

"Of course not." The former princess studied her fingernails with mock interest, her eyes flashing. "I merely wanted to test his loyalty."

She looked at the two girls before her, and this time, Mai stared back without any hesitation.

"I have the utmost faith in the two of you. Where your loyalties lie shouldn't be issues to me anymore. Unless, of course, there's something I need to know about." She cast her gaze on the raven-haired girl, who remained stoic.

Azula turned away.

"You recall our siege on Ba Sing Se. It was a simple plan, really- we only needed to gain the Earth King's trust first."

Nobody dared to interrupt, even during her brief pause, and she continued matter-of-factly.

"We had to disguise ourselves to do so, though. It was easy to convince the king that we were on his side, with the help of that Water Tribe imbecile. But this time, though, we don't have anything to prove. This time, we'll all be ourselves."

She turned to Ty Lee and Mai, who were listening intently.

"Fire Lord Iroh has placed his trust in the two of you. You've done nothing against him directly, Ty Lee. Mai, you've provided companionship to his nephew. He has every reason to believe you're on his side."

Mai nodded, although an inner feeling told her that it was wrong even to agree with the former princess.

"Your task is simple enough. Gain his trust, then we'll take him down when he least expects it." A smirk spread across her face. "And with dear Zuzu gone, it won't take long for someone else to take the throne. Someone worthy."

She looked at the two of them again, her amber eyes piercing through the cell bars.

"Someone like me."

Author's Note: So, why is it that I've decided to update so quickly? Well, I'm pleased to inform you that I'm finally cured of writer's block. Maybe it has to do with seeing the new episodes on DVD, but in any case, i've discovered a new enthusiasm for this story. I'm not sure if quick updates will be consistent, but I'll try. Thanks for over 100 reviews!

In the next chapter: Too bad stores don't specialize in "escape presents". As the Bei Fong Ball draws closer, Sokka finds himself wondering what to get Toph (and why he cares so much). Zuko has a lot more to deal with now that he has a confused girlfriend, a waterbender friend in denial, and some explaining to do to a certain Avatar. Mai finds herself doubting her decision after some quality time with Fire Lord Iroh. And Aang wonders if he ever really woke up from a nightmare... or if it just began.