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

Chapter 17

They needed to talk

"Uncle!" Zuko banged on Iroh's door in an uncontrollable manner. He really needed to have a talk and who not better to go to than his good old Uncle Iroh, the very wise Dragon of the West. "Uncle!" He called again because of no response.

Zuko twisted the door handle. "Uncle?" He asked, noticing the door unlocked. Walking in, once again he called. "Uncle!" This was getting annoying. "Uncle, I know you're in here!" He sighed, paying attention to his surroundings.

"What is it nephew?" Iroh asked worriedly. Zuko was a little taken back by his sudden appearance. His uncle had come from nowhere, holding a pot of tea. "UNCLE, how did…where did…uh, never mind. I need to talk to you." Zuko held his head in confusion.

Iroh walked towards his living quarters and motioned for Zuko to follow. "Sit." Iroh told him as he bent down and sat on a cushy pillow and poured himself some tea. "Tea?" he asked knowingly of his nephew's response. "Uncle…" Zuko growled, irritated, as he also sat on a cushy pillow.

Iroh ignored his nephew's response and poured an extra cup of tea. "Tell me nephew, what's on your mind?" Iroh replied, unfazed by his nephew's regular mood swings.

Zuko's hard attitude softened. His eyes lowered to his folded knees. "I'm…I'm having problems." Zuko said, barley in a whisper. Iroh raised a brow. "Problems?"

Zuko took a deep breath. "Yes, problems." Iroh took a small sip of his tea before asking another question. " What kind of problems?"

Zuko took another deep breath. "Katara problems." He responded with a slight sigh.

"Katara problems, you say?" Iroh asked, pulling at his long gray, beard.

"She won't talk to me, uncle." Zuko tried to explain his problems without sounding desperate. "Well she is going threw something very diffic…" Iroh trailed off before being rudely interrupted by Zuko. " NO uncle, you don't understand. She has been acting distant for weeks now. I have no idea of what is going on with her." Zuko explained, avoiding a long speech, almost given by his uncle.

Iroh's usual happy was now in a frown. He had a pretty good feeling of how all of this started. "Did she, by any chance, start acting like this a little after you burnt her wrist?" His tone was low as he spoke.

Zuko's eyes widened. How did his uncle know about that? Did Katara tell him? "H…How did you know about that?"

Iroh took another sip of his tea. In no hurry did he answer his nephew. "Don't question my tactics, nephew. I know of many things and one of which is the way you treat, Lady Katara. I also know that is unfit for someone of your status to do such a terrible thing." Iroh was calm, but Zuko could tell that he was angry. "But she…" Zuko tried to explain, once again, but to no prevail did he get a chance to.

"There are no buts included in this situation. You dare to put your hands on the person other than myself and your mother, who loved you before the end of the war. The person who cares for you and understands you." Iroh's statement sounded like a question. "Uncle, I…" Zuko once again tried to explain, but to no prevail did he get a chance to.

"Mark my words, Fire Lord Zuko. You will loose a very important aspect of your life and my respect to such acts."

Zuko said nothing to that last statement. He knew that what his uncle spoke of was true. He would loose Katara if he didn't keep his temper in check. Zuko shifted his weight into his pillow and held his head in thought. Iroh stared at him in silence as he took another sip of his tea.

"Huh…What am I going to do…"he groaned into his hands. He was so confused.

What an idiot! Iroh thought to himself. All the boy had to do was talk to her.

Iroh watched in amazement as his nephew ranked his brain for an answer. His nephew really was a true idiot when it came to women. "Talk to her, Zuko. Spend time with her and only her. Take off a day of Fire Lord duties." Iroh illustrated for his idiotic nephew.

Zuko looked up in confusion. "Talk to her, but how? How can I talk to someone that doesn't even want to look at me?"

Iroh shoved his hands into his sleeves. "You must figure that out for yourself. You know her, so you should know how to handle her when she's going threw an emotional stage. You have to try! And try to be more respectful about her feeling. Females like that kind of stuff. " Iroh helped him with his words while getting up from his sitting position. Zuko followed his uncle's movements.

"Your right uncle, I should know how to handle my own wife. " Zuko replied in a more confident tone then when he appeared at Iroh's door.

"You should probably get going right now." Iroh said, pushing his nephew near the bedrooms' exit.

"Thank you, uncle!" Zuko was grateful for his uncle's wise advice. He didn't even notice that he was just kicked out of his Uncle's bedroom.

---

On his way to the Medical cCenter, Zuko was informed that Katara had been taken to their bedroom quarters. "Why was she moved with out my knowing?" Zuko asked the nurse who had filled him with the newfound information. "It was her wish." The nurse stated simple before turning on her heel and walking in the opposite direction of him.

Zuko said nothing more and headed in the direction of his bedding quarters. He walked threw various hallways and turned many corners. Halfway down the hall from where his bedroom was, he saw Ember. She was by his door, waving him down. "Lord Zuko!" She called for him.

Zuko dug his fist in his pockets. She was running towards him. Why she couldn't just meet him as they walked, he had no idea. He formed a smug smile. "Hey, Ember." He replied to her call with not as much energy as he usually did when he saw her. She walked beside him.

Ember's enthusiastic expression soon faded as she remembered the news of Zuko and Katara. "Are you okay? I heard about the…you know." She pretended to care.

Zuko turned his head to the side to meet up with her eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm not so sure about Katara though." He replied with an expressionless face.

"That's what I came down here for…to check on you." Ember sounded sympathetic. She put her hand on his shoulder as they walked.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be okay." Zuko shrugged.

Ember bit her lip. "You sure?"

"Of course, I'm just going to go and check on Katara…you know, to see if she'll talk to me." Zuko said as they neared his bedroom door.

Ember was surprised and she stopped walking. "She won't talk to you?" She held a curious look on her face, for which Zuko couldn't see because his back was to her. He didn't stop walking but he did answer her. "No…" was all he said before vanishing threw his bedroom doors.

---

"Katara?" Zuko whispered as he entered, once again, a dark room. The curtains were pulled closed, just like the ones in the Medical Center. Neither lights nor candles supported the visual image of the room. Darkness surrounded him. He couldn't see a thing. "Katara?" He whispered again. He was really getting tired of this. Threw this whole chapter he had to repeat a name at least 3 times. How troublesome! (Shikamaru!LOL!)

He tried to call her name again, but still no answer. To increase his sight a flame enlightened his right palm. Finally he could see. As he walked closer to the bed her noticed that her back was turned towards him. She couldn't be asleep because he heard no snoring.

"Katara, I know your not sleep! So, why won't you answer me?" Zuko's voice showed that he was hurt.

"Go away, Zuko…" Her soft voice cringed. He could tell that she was still in pain. Emotional pain that is.

"Why do you want me to leave?" Zuko sat at the edge of their large bed, extinguishing the flame his hand held. Now darkness engulfed them again. "I don't want o talk to you, Zuko." She said in a whisper.

"Why can't you talk to me. This affects me too you know." Zuko was getting aggravated.

Katara said nothing. There was nothing she wanted to talk about. She shut her eyes and pulled the covers over her head. It wasn't such a good way to avoid Zuko but why not try it.

Zuko felt her shift behind him and the covers move. She was irking his nerves. "What the hell are you hiding under the covers for? Are you 12 or something?" He asked emotionless.

Katara was about to say something but held her breath.

Zuko jumped off the bed angrily. "Why are you acting like a child? Do you have any idea what your putting me threw? Uncle told me to be more respectful of you feelings and concerned about you whereabouts. He told me to talk to you! But are you doing the same for me? NO! YOU'RE BEING A BRAT! You're not trying to hear anything that I have to say. I was hurt too. I wanted a child. But do you care about my feelings? NO! Do you even have any idea of how I'm feeling right now? NO? Why? Because you won't talk to me! Here I am kissing up to you and you won't even talk back! What is wrong with you?!!!!!!!!?" He scolded at her loudly.

Katara stirred under her covers, not saying a word.

Zuko shook his head. He couldn't believe her. "Tsss…I see there's no use staying here talking to myself. I'm outta here." He stated while walking towards the door.

Katara waited for the sound of the door to click open. "Zuko, WAIT!" She called out for him, crying waterfalls.

Zuko stood frozen place to take in all that just happened. Did he just almost walk out on her? Thank Gods for her calling out when she did. If she hadn't that would have meant even more problems to deal with.

Katara heard the door click again. That meant it was closed. Did he leave? "Zuko?" She called softly. She couldn't get up to check. Her legs were too weak. She groaned at the silence, resting her head in her hands. "He actually left?" She whispered to herself. Tears flooded her face.

Her cry was interrupted when she felt the other side of the bed shift. She looked up into the darkness. She crawled towards the sink of the bed. She heard him. "Katara, I…"

"ZUKO!" She gasped, hugging his waist from behind. Her legs at his side and her arms around his back and chest. She nuzzled into the warmth of his neck. Crying more and more tears. It felt nice to be close to him once again. His warmth was slowly taking her pain away.

Zuko shut his eyes tightly. Taking in Katara's closeness. "I'm sorry..." He told her in a soft voice. He then held the hands that encircled him with his own.

"I'm sorry too!" She wailed into his neck. Holding him closer.

"What reason do you have, to be sorry for?" Zuko questioned, rubbing her wrist with his thumb.

"For making you feel bad and loosing your heir." Her voice was a sad whisper in his ear. Zuko felt her let go of his waist and move to the other side of the bed.

Zuko turned himself around, throwing his legs on the bed. He crawled to where Katara sat. He felt around for her hands but came in contact with her legs. They were folded. He placed his hands on her knees. "You shouldn't be sorry. It wasn't your fault." He cooed. He reached up to touch her face and was greeted with a damp cheek.

"B-b-but when you were yelling at me, you said you wanted a child too. I hurt you." She told him, holding his hand in place on her cheek. Zuko could feel the new tears from Katara's eyes cool his palm.

"No…" Zuko cooed to reassure her. "You didn't hurt me. I should be the one saying I hurt you. I've been the one acting like a selfish jerk." He said while messaging her cheek.

"But, Zuko. I'm the one that lost your baby. You should be mad at me." She explained.

"Katara, listen to me!" Zuko pulled her hands into his own. "No, I shouldn't be mad at you. It wasn't your fault and it couldn't be helped." He assured her. "Stop beating yourself up about it. You're in enough pain as it is. We can just try again…when you're ready."

"Zuko…"

"Shhhh" He quieted her by putting an index finger up to her lips. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay. I promise." He told her.

Katara smiled. She loved this man with all her heart and soul and she knew he loved her. Look at the way he showed her. He didn't even blame her for the lost of their unborn child.

She couldn't help herself. She had to throw her arms around him and embrace him tightly. What else could she do? The tears that never stopped, during the whole conversation finally ceased. Now new ones of joy fell from her eyes.

"I love you!" She whispered in his ear.

"I love you, too!" She heard him say softly.

Katara pushed him down on his back. She planted a tender kiss on his lips and lay on his chest. They both fell asleep in the comfort of each other. They needed the rest.

A/N: WOW…It's been a long time since I've updated! SORRY!!!! I have no excuses this time. It was just plain ole laziness…LOL

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