The Awakening
Aang shuddered as he sat up, pain ripping its way through his abdomen. His vision blurred and wavered.
What happened? Where am I?
He looked around, dazed by the light, and then his heart stopped.
Red...it's all red..
The golden flames of the Fire Nation stared down at him from the wall of his cabin. Aang stumbled to his feet, leaning on his staff for support.
He left the room, ducking around the corner.
"You hear something?" said one guard to another.
Aang blasted wind at them, using the distraction to limp away. He desperately tried to run, falling through the door onto the hard steel deck of the warship.
"Momo?" Confused, Aang looked up to see the lemur being petted by the Fire Nation Captain.
"Twinkletoes that's gotta be you!" Toph grinned, walking up to embrace Aang.
"Aang good to see you back with the living buddy!" Sokka's voice came from a soldier's helmet.
"Sokka? What's going on..."
"Oh no somebody catch him he's gonna-" Toph yelled as she felt Aang's weight become unsteady as he keeled over.
Hours later Aang woke to find fresh bandages over his scarring wound. Toph had been keeping "watch" from a distance and promptly came in to lead him out onto the deck, making sure he made it there slowly this time.
Sokka brought Aang a cloak and a bowl of noodles, sitting him down.
Aang set the noodles aside,"What's happening? Where are we? Why are you all dressed this way? Where's Katara?"
Sokka looked away. "She's gone Aang, the Fire Nation took her in Ba Sing Se."
Aang stood up, grimacing slightly, "What?! How could you let this happen? Why aren't we trying to get her?!"
"Aang calm down! You're still hurt, I'll explain everything," Sokka drew a deep breath,"In Ba Sing Se Azula shot you, you went down...when Katara brought you out of the caves we thought you were dead. But Katara...Katara healed you, right there, with the water from the Spirit Oasis. But the Dai Li got her when we were escaping."
Aang sat and held his head in his hands, "It's all my fault."
"No it's not Aang, we still have a plan," Toph touched his shoulder.
Sokka nodded, saying, "We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan, we won't have the Earth King's forces but the eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable. So we've gathered up just a rag-tag team of our friends and allies to invade on the Day of Black Sun. You can get in, defeat the Fire Lord and we can use the distraction to rescue Katara."
Sokka slapped a roll of parchment into his hand excitedly, "And the best part is, we have a secret weapon," he looked sideways in mock conspiracy,"You!"
"Me?" Aang said, bewildered.
"Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead, isn't that great!"
"What!? No it's not great Sokka! This is bad, really bad," Aang became agitated, standing and pacing again,"I've let the world dowm again! I can't do that! We have to do something!"
"No Aang, you're still hurt, and facing the Fire Nation head on would use too many resources. Plus what if they hurt Katara?" Toph placed her hands on her hips, daring him to argue with her.
Aang felt like a trapped eagle-crane, but he relented, "I know...if anything happens to her..."
"I know Aang...but we have to stay focused. We can't risk the whole world for one person...the eclipse is the best way of getting her back," Sokka said, his blue eyes turned downcast and unusually serious.
Aang straightened with surprising strength, eyes steeling, "Fire Lord or no Fire Lord, when the eclipse comes Katara is coming back with us."
A Retreat from The World
The rambling villa on Ember Island was quiet over the next few days, its only inhabitants moved silently about the house, avoiding each other like the plague. Servants came and went, gossiping about the Crown Prince and his mysterious companion who, clearly, was not Fire Nation born.
Zuko had given Katara free-rein of the house and beach, his earlier promise proved true and they scarcely caught a glimpse of each other. She seemed to enjoy the outdoors, spending most of her time by the water. More than once she thought of simply walking in and escaping.
But "simply" wasn't so simple. Katara couldn't be certain Zuko wouldn't send the entire Ember Island garrison after her if she disappeared, surely he was keeping tabs on her position throughout the day. Leaving now would cause an alarm to be raised the likes of which even the Fire Lord would hear, then, if she was caught (which she likely would be, being hundreds of miles from the nearest territory outside of Fire Nation control) she would be locked away in the strongest dungeon the Fire Nation had.
Thoughts of escape aside, Katara mostly spent her time practicing waterbending forms on the beach, or lounging on her bed with a book. If it had not been under these circumstances, she might have enjoyed this time away from constant travel and fighting.
Zuko she sometimes caught a glimpse of, pacing across a hallway. He spent most of his time in the library, rising early with the sun. Katara was sad at the distance between them, but she knew it was necessary. Forming a relationship, any relationship, with Zuko would just hurt them both, and those around them.
The days on Ember Island were passing slowly, the eclipse staggering closer at a most frustrating pace. Azula and her entourage were due for arrival later than had been expected, some complication with rebel ships endangering their passage.
As time passed, the days grew longer and warmer, and the nights colder. Summer was well underway, and the Comet was coming with its end.
One evening, beneath the full moon, Katara felt restless. The moonlight seemed to call to her, setting her blood dancing in her veins. Everything was brighter, clearer,and she felt the water call to her irresistibly. She tossed and turned in her bed, but could finally ignore it no more.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, throwing on a thin, short-sleeved, billowy robe over her nightgown. She clutched it about herself and crept along the corridor leading towards the back of the house, and towards the beach.
The house was in utter darkness, a small breeze blowing softly through its empty halls, stirring the gossamer curtains over the open windows.
Katara moved blindly about the house, aided by the moonlight coming in through the windows. She rounded the corner only to walk right into something very hard. She gave a small exhalation at the shock of the impact and almost fell to the floor in a most undignified manner. Instead bare arms encircled her and held her fast.
"Katara...why are you wandering around in the middle of the night?" Zuko's slightly exasperated voice came from above her head.
She tilted her head upwards, "It's a full moon...I couldn't sleep."
He let go of her, fingers lingering for just half a second too long.
"Me neither." He said, eyes glinting softly in the moonlight as they flickered down to her, and then away a little too quickly.
She glanced down at herself, and then quickly clutched her robe about herself once more.
"I was just..going for a walk down to the beach," Katara said, she looked up at Zuko, noticing the dark rings under his eyes and his creased forehead, "Do you want to come with me?"
His brow furrowed a little, "No Katara, I don't think that's a good idea." With that he turned and walked off into the dark house.
Katara stood still for a moment, feeling the ghost of where his warm fingers had touched her waist. She shook herself and walked on, rounding the corridor and walking throught the intricate double doors to the back courtyard. Down the steps and onto the sandy shore she went, relishing the salty sea air and the feel of the sand beneath her toes. She sat, admiring the view of the moon over Ember Island's waters.
She shivered slightly, Fire Nation days were scorching hot, and the nights devoid of heat.
"Are you cold?"
Surprised, Katara turned to see Zuko walking towards her.
She smiled faintly, "Only for a moment."
He shrugged out of his robe and draped it over her shoulders, seemingly unaffected by the chill despite having only a pair of shorts on.
"Thanks."
He sat down next to her.
"I tried to stay away...I've been trying my best," he murmured, not meeting her eyes but rather looking out over the sea.
"I know...I have also."
"I guess something must be wrong with us," Zuko smiled at her, a hint of himself coming through that smile.
Katara chuckled slightly, moving over to rest her back against his chest. She picked up his hand and held it in hers, toying with it slightly. "I guess you must be right."
They sat like that for a while, enjoying their first real contact in days.
Small lights appeared over the water, flickering back and forth.
"Fireflies," Zuko said.
The lights seemed to multiply, dancing across the beach.
"Zuko...please think about what I said...about leaving..." Katara said, almost whispering.
She felt his chest rise and fall behind her as he sighed. "Katara...you know the position I'm in..."
She swivelled around in his arms to face him, "I know..." her eyes looked away from his.
"But...maybe my position isn't what I think it is..." two blue orbs darted up to meet his golden, "I've more to think about, I have you to think about now."
Katara smiled, relieved that he hadn't closed himself off completely.
She lent forward to kiss him softly, sinking back into his arms.
Agni...Katara I've missed you - Zuko thought, feeling happiness for the first time in weeks. He could blissfully spend many more nights as this one, with the soft weight of Katara pressed against him, just the two of them alone in the world.
Waves crashed softly onto the sand, lulling the two on the shore into a peaceful sleep.
The cry of gulls and the rising sun woke Zuko. But it was neither of those things which caused his heart to race and his arms to tighten around Katara.
"Well Zuko, you have been busy," Azula smirked down at him.