Disclaimer: I don't own The Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Chapter 16

It's not your fault, Katara!

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER!" Sokka yelled ferociously at Zuko, outside of the medical center. It was amazing that after hearing his baby sister was sick, he could arrive in less than a 24-hour period in the Fire Nation. It was funny that he couldn't make it to the Ball that was held only hours before, but he was here now screaming at the now very angry Fire Lord.

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOUR SISTER!" Zuko howled.

No one was allowed to see Katara. She still hadn't awoken and the healers didn't want to disturb her. Of course Zuko put up a fight, but it was no use. They said it would be best for Katara to wake up alone. A few hours after Zuko found her, he learned that what Katara had experienced was a miscarriage. Zuko was way too overwhelmed by the news. The healers explained to him that Katara must've been under massive amount of stress to suffer so much. She had lost too much blood for it to be a normal miscarriage. She was truly under a lot of pressure.

After hearing all of this he told all the others. They all rushed to come see her but were disappointed to find out they would have to wait.

To hear such horrible thing made Zuko cringe. He was surprised and disappointed. It was heartbreaking to hear Katara had lost the baby. Although he never mentioned it, he was anxious to have an heir. A little Zuko running around everywhere would have been great. He secretly longed for a complete family. He knew Katara wanted a family and he could imagine how she was going to feel when she found out what happened. She could loose it and here Sokka was accusing him of harming Katara.

He had no idea what Zuko was going threw. Pain and Suffering. His baby died for goodness sake, but it was 'his fault'. Zuko could have killed him right then and there, but he restrained himself…for Katara's sake.

" It's you fault she's in there," Sokka pointed towards the medical center's large doors. "It's always your fault. You've been the one putting her under stress. She's going to be heartbroken and it's all because of YOU!" Sokka pointed a finger at Zuko.

Zuko was really getting ticked off. He was trying to keep his composure but it was becoming even harder. Being accused of harming Katara was something he truly hated with a passion. His temper may bad but it would never be he reason for Katara going into care at the medical center.

"You're really pushing it, Peasant!" Zuko said in one of in his calmest voices.

"Peasant? Last time I checked you married a Peasant. I can't even believe I let her marry you. I knew something like this would happen. I knew this day would come you Bastard!" Sokka never could keep his mouth shut.

Uncle Iroh, Toph and Aang also sat outside of the medical center. They all watched in annoyance as Zuko and Sokka argued. It really does get old. It used to be pure entertainment to Toph but now it was plan ole irritating.

Other than the annoyance they were worried too. Iroh and Aang sipped tea desperately trying to calm their nerves. Toph was the calmest of them all. She acted as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, but underneath the act, she was also worried. Katara as truly Toph's best friend and if something was ever to happen to her she didn't know what she would do.

"What did you say?" Zuko asked threw clenched teeth. His shoulders were tense and sparks of fire were lighting his fist. Steam slowly leaked out of his ears.

Iroh peeped this and quickly put his tea down to stop what wasn't supposed to happen, happen. In the blink of an eye the old man was already in between the feuding rivals. Zuko looked as if he were ready to kill and it was vice versa for Sokka.

"This is not the place nor the time!" Uncle Iroh stated sternly with one hand on Zuko's chest and the other on Sokka's.

Before they could object to the wise old man's statement, the healers came out to speak. "She's awake," Everyone looked up in surprise. "S…sh…she…she's awake?" Sokka stuttered. "You all can go see her one at a time."

Sokka looked back at his old traveling mates. "I'm going in first." He demanded and everyone nodded in agreement including Zuko. Zuko thought that maybe after he saw his sister he would get off of Zuko's back. Zuko mentally thanked Katara for healing her bruised cheek. It would have really put him in big trouble. Everyone would be riding his back and scowling him for is mistakes.

---

Sokka was out in 20 minutes. His hands were deep in his pockets and a sad smile was spread on his face. "They told her already," he sighed. " She's doing okay right now, but she's kinda depressed right now." He continued while walking towards Toph. "She wants to see you next." He told her. Toph nodded while sitting her cup of tea down. She walked towards Katara private rooms anxiously.

Toph slowly opened Katara's private doors. The look on Katara's face was proof of depression, but Toph couldn't see it. All Toph could do was feel the slow beat of Katara's heart. Its beat was slow and depressing like it was trying to heal. Toph could tell that she wasn't happy.

"Hey Katara, How are you feeling?" Toph asked trying to avoid calling Katara Sugar Queen. It was no need for insults. Although it was a cute insult if you thought about it.

"I'm fine." Katara's voice was dull.

Toph sat on the edge of the bed that held Katara. Silence overwhelmed the room. The girls were so mute that if you dropped a feather you would be able to hear it hit the cold floor. Katara was the first to break the silence. "So…you know, huh?" Toph was a little alarmed by the question. It was surprising to see how blunt Katara could be at a time like this.

"Yeah…I know." Toph sighed, not facing her friend.

"It sucks for me, doesn't it?"

Toph was silent. It was nothing she could think of to say.

"I didn't even know," Katara's voice was barley a whisper." I didn't know," She said it again.

Toph said nothing.

"The healers tell me the cause was stress," she trailed of. "Ha…stress!" She laughed. Now Toph was really beginning to believe she lost it. Katara's voice was different. It was no longer full of sweetness and energy but of emptiness instead.

Toph turned to face her friend. " It's not your fault. You know that, right?" Toph asked, afraid of what the answer might be.

Katara shifted her bed position. She pulled the thin sheets up to her chest then clung to her knees. She did feel that it was her fault. How else would something so horrible happen. She put herself in stress. She killed her baby. Just thinking about it made her eyes water. "It is my fault, Toph. I killed my baby." She cried into her knees.

Toph was not shocked at all of Katara's sudden tears. She was afraid it would happen sooner or latter. She reached out to touch her sobbing friend but hesitated. She had no idea on how to comfort somebody. She was not use to comforting tactics. It was always 'build a bridge and get over It' tactics for her. But it wasn't really a good time for that.

Katara felt Toph's weight shift of the bed. She figured that Toph got up to leave because she couldn't stand the crybaby stuff, but was surprised when she felt Toph's hand on her shoulder. Katara slowly lifted her head up to find a soft smile on Toph's face.

"Katara, Stop blaming yourself. You couldn't help what happened. You said it yourself that you didn't know. Stop beating yourself up about it. I wasn't you fault, Katara. It wasn't." Toph comforted her. This was the first for her o it wasn't all that easy. She was on the verge of saying 'all…suck it up!', but restrained her self.

Katara clung onto Toph's waist. She cried into Toph's stomach as if she were a young child clinging to her mommy. "O, Toph! I want my baby back! I want it back!" Katara cried, barring her head in Toph's stomach. The tears streaming out of her eyes looked like waterfalls.

"I know you do, I know." Toph said while petting Katara's hair.

---

Ember was jumping for joy, circling her room, and clapping her hands at the newfound news. " Katara's in the medical center." She sung to herself. She didn't quite know why she was in the medical center yet, but she was waiting for the message. "I'm such a clever girl." She praised herself.

She was getting closer and closer to her goal. Her darling Zuko was almost hers. She was feeling good but she could have felt better.

Opening the doors of her meditating room she praise the painting that graced her sight. Her and Zuko stood as husband and wife. She had stolen the look of the painting that hung in Zuko's study, but instead of Katara it was she. The painting cost her half of her life saving, but it was well worth it. It was her most prized possessions and she would kill if anything ever happened to it.

Looking around the room, she smiled at the pictures that adorned the walls. Zuko was everywhere. This was her favorite part of her rooms. It made her more relaxed. The hundreds of candles that surrounded the room were Zuko's scent. They smelled just like him. Cinnamon smoke. Ember inhaled the scent as she meditated on a comfortable pink pillow.

She rested for awhile before hearing a sound from behind her door. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the door to see who it was. She forgot to lock the door. The room was way to private to for anyone to see. She cracked the door open and stuck her head out. There stood a young boy about Toph and Aang's age. He had shaggy, dark brown, shoulder length hair with green eyes. It was a dead give away that he was from the Earth Kingdom.

"Toru!" Ember shrieked. "She said while walking out of her meditation room and locking it.

"Sorry, My lady. I will try my best not to do it again." The young boy apologized to his mistress, unafraid.

"Do you have any news on that Water wench's condition?" Ember sneered as she remembered Katara. Toru stood back a little to avoid being in Ember way when he told her the news. He looked her strait in the eye and frowned. " I do, but…"

Toru hesitated. He looked down and made small circles with his feet.

"But what" SPIT IT OUT!" Ember barked.

"…The plan didn't really go as planned. Fire Lore Zuko isn't really the reason why Lady Katara is in the medical center." Toru looked up a little frightened at what Ember's reaction might be.

"Wh-What!" Ember yelled. This was unbelievable. Why else would Katara be in the medial center.

"Why the hell is she in the medical center, then?" She asked while trying to calm herself.

"Miscarriage." Toru whispered, feeling sorry for Katara.

"Miscarriage?" Ember asked, amazed.

"Yes, My Lady. Miscarriage." Toru assured her, while backing away so he wouldn't be in the middle of an upcoming temper tantrum.

"She was pregnant? Thank spirits…a miscarriage. She couldn't have that baby. I'm supposed to bore Zuko his first heir." She walked around frantically think to herself. Toru watched as an evil smirk graced his mistress's face. "Toru!" Her evil grin growing bigger.

Toru knew that Ember had another plan. He was a sweet little boy but he was an evil little devil himself. He grinned. "Yes, My Lady."

"Things are moving a little to quickly for Zuko and Katara. We have to make sure that she doesn't get pregnant again. This process has to speed up and I have an idea."

---

Zuko was the last to see Katara. If Sokka weren't there he would have naturally went first. He was planning on going in after him but Katara's wishes were to see Toph. Zuko wondered why she didn't want to see him yet. Why couldn't he be after Sokka? His disappointment showed.

After an hour of waiting on Toph to come out, Aang was called next. Why Katara had picked him he didn't know. All he knew was that he was anxious to see Katara and it was starting to show. He wanted to talk to her and make her feel better. He was sure she was feeling lonely. He wanted to be there for her.

Out of impatience his left right leg was shaking and his body temperature was rising. How long would he have to wait? This was worst that when he had to wait on the Avatar to show himself.

After 14 minutes of waiting for the Avatar to come out, Iroh was called. Now Zuko was really pissed off. Why didn't Katara want to see him? All he wanted to do was hear her voice and see her face. He wanted to tell her how he felt. He was the one who sat with her for hours before the healers kicked him out. He didn't even understand that. Why couldn't he see his Queen recover? This was some serious bullshit.

After many more minutes of waiting and pasting around the room, Iroh finally came out. Everyone was gone from the waiting room by then and Zuko was alone. "Can I go in now or does she want to see the cooking guy too?" Zuko asked sarcastically, walking towards the medical center doors.

"Well…she didn't really say she wanted…" Iroh couldn't finish his answer because Zuko was already behind the door unable to hear.

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Zuko walked in Katara's private rooms as quietly as possible. Katara's bed was strait ahead. Zuko could see that she looked as if she were in the fetal position. Her back was facing him. The room was dimly lit which made it seem eerie. It was truly a depressing sight. Zuko walked a little closer to her. He was about to speak so she could acknowledge his presence but she beat him to it.

"Zuko, I really want to be alone right now." A soft voice full of nothing was heard.

Zuko backed away and said nothing. He was hurt. He was confused. It was time to have a talk with his Uncle.

A/N: I didn't read over it. Sorry for the long wait. Blame writer's block! I've really been trying but I've been busy too. Driver's training is an ass kicker. I hope you all can forgive me.

This chapter was a little hard to write. Now I have no Idea what I want to write next.

Just to clear some things up, Ember already gave Zuko the potionin chapter eight. That's why he's never in the mood and Katara is so sexually frustrated.

Thanks for all the reviews. I had 16 in one chapter.

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Smooches W23