"What are you doing here?" she yelled as he tumbled through the opening of the cave. Katara stumbled back as the green crystals molded themselves back into the previous shape, barring the exit he'd been thrown from, looking anywhere but at the boy who was slowly getting up. He didn't answer her, and she sensed him watching her from the corner of her eye as he hesitantly drew closer to her.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, they were together. He halted as he looked at her, torn apart by the fear and confusion in her face. She wasn't looking at him- her gorgeous eyes, the features that had haunted his dreams, were searching for an escape. His throat tightened as Zuko's golden stare zeroed in on the hollow in her neck. He had never given the necklace back, and he hated the way her delicate fingers reached up to brush her skin, longing for the smooth pendant to draw comfort from. He couldn't speak- it all came crashing down on him at one time, and he dropped to his knees, fighting the despair that suffocated him.
She was watching him now, her eyes roving his body and seeing nothing but surrender. She felt the oddest sensation of protectiveness- like it would be the best thing in the world to help him be strong. She thought back to the swamp, how she had seen him and felt his presence, how the memory that had surfaced had only made her desperate to remember more. She was scared though- scared of how her heart thumped unevenly when she thought about it, frightened by how she longed to feel that warmth again. He looked again at her, noticing that she'd calmed down, and he stood up, taking a deep breath and knowing his next few words had the power to change their lives for the better.
"Katara…" She jumped at the sound of her name on his lips, and her eyes unwillingly shot to his face- she felt a deep, wrenching pain in her chest, and something battered against her mind, tantalizingly out of reach. It was the same feeling she had gotten in the swamp when she had heard his voice. She was missing something. "You don't remember, do you?" His question was soft, regretful, and she shied away from it instinctively.
"I don't know what you're talking about." she denied, and out of nowhere, tears began to slide down her cheeks. She was stunned, and brought a hand up to her face, wincing at the old pain in her side that acted up occasionally. She felt him right behind her and whirled around, hands automatically going to the pouch which contained her bending water. "Stay away from me," she hissed, and was once again bowled over by the sensations running through her body, the confusion in her head. It was backwards- every instinct told her to drop her guard, but her conscious mind screamed at her that he was the enemy. She buried her face in her hands as frustrated tears pricked at her eyes. "Why? What about you is so… familiar? This doesn't make sense. I'm supposed to hate you!" she cried, throwing her hands down, noticing he'd stepped closer. And suddenly, his arms were around her shoulders- she gasped, immobilized by shock but at the same time never wanting to pull away. Her eyes fluttered shut as she sagged into him, resting her head on his chest, feeling his hammering heartbeat.
"I know that you don't remember everything. But I think I might have a way for you to get your memory back- are you tired of the lies, Tara? Of the pretending, the confusion? I know what you're going through- it's been hell knowing that I wasn't in your thoughts. I turned it against you and hunted you for a reason- eventually, the Avatar stopped mattering to me. All I could think of was helping you remember what we had- what we still could have." His words sent a wave of anticipation through her body. It was as if he could see into her heart, her mind, and find what emotions lay there. His mouth grazed the top of her head, and suddenly he was gripping her chin and molding his lips softly to her mouth.
Katara's mind exploded. All she could see was a thousand moments she had forgotten, all she could hear was his laugh- all she could feel was his touch, his love. She finally remembered, and it was overwhelming.
"Zuko… I- I remember now." She looked deep into his eyes for the first time in a long time, and saw the passion she had missed for so long. Her world faded as she fell to the ground, supported by his strong arms, her last thoughts being of how it felt like she was finally home in his embrace- this was what she had been missing.
Zuko watched in horror, panicking as she lay still in his arms. He cried her name, feeling for a pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive, just unconscious, probably swept under by her own mind. There was something deeply rooted in his chest, his stomach, every single part of him that was growing, threatening to spill over as he realized it had worked- she was back, and he would never be alone again. He bent down and touched her skin, savoring the feeling of her peace, knowing he had unleashed what she had once referred to as the most powerful thing she'd felt. He smiled at the memory- it had been before she confessed her love to him, but even then he could tell that something real was happening. It didn't scare him. He brushed his calloused thumb across his cheek as he waited for her to wake up, trying to plan a way to get out.
Katara woke up gradually, feeling tired and happy. She coasted on the sensation, smiling faintly and hearing a responding chuckle from above her. Her eyes opened wide suddenly, and she stared straight into the face of the boy she loved as the world slowly came to a halt. She reached up, running her fingertips across the place his scar had been- remembering how she had healed it right before Aang had come to take her, right before she'd been injured and lost her memory. She jolted up abruptly with a gasp- Aang. She'd forgotten about them- were they hurt? Were they locked up somewhere too?
"How long was I out?" she asked Zuko, and he looked alarmed at the change of events.
"Not even five minutes, I think- what's wrong? Are you alright?" She nodded, berating herself. I can't believe myself, I forgot about everyone! And Sokka, Toph- Azula said something about the letter from her parents being fake, and what if Sokka and Dad ran into the Fire Nation? Can Aang master the Avatar state?
"I'm worried about the others." she said simply, and he nodded in agreement, his eyes downcast.
"Me too. I don't know if my uncle escaped or if the Dai Li agents got him. And I've looked, but there's no way out of here." He sighed, his eyes troubled, but looked at her with a complex emotion behind his intense gaze. "Katara, I hate that we're in this situation… but I'm so glad I am here with you. For the girl you love to think you're a monster- its agony." She hesitated, feeling slightly off balance. In her newly recovered recollections, she had loved him, and it felt so right being with him. But for the past weeks she had spent time with Aang, and she knew in her heart that the only reason he had lied to her was to protect her, and that he protected her because he loved her.
"Zuko… I don't know what to do. Aang needs me, and so does Sokka and Toph- my place is at the side of the Avatar, he's my best friend." she murmured, not daring to look at him. She felt tears fall from her eyes, and didn't bother to stop them. "I'm still so confused… we have love, but I don't know if I trust you or if we can even be together. It's too sudden and-"
He interrupted her. "Katara, its okay, I understand. I've done many things I'm not proud of, but who says we can't be together? I know that you're surprised and you probably don't know how to feel about me, but you're one of the most important things in my life. I've lost you once, and I went through hell to find you again. You're my hope- all I want to do is keep you with me." He stepped forward, taking the younger girl into his arms and whispering against her hair like he'd done so long ago, comforting her to bring peace to his own soul.
"Okay." he heard her say softly, and he pulled away slightly so he could search her cerulean eyes. She was doubtful, he could tell, but there was a firm determination in the set of her jaw that gave him a glimpse of her strength. "I believe you… and even though I feel strange, I still trust you, I guess. When we get out of here, we will figure it out." she said, and then she smiled. "I love you. I remember now, I love you and we should be together even if everything else tears us apart." He smiled, wild with joy, and bent down to meet her lips with his, finding his heart etched into the contours of her face, the beat in her heart, everything that made him hers forever.
It's shorter than usual, but I loved writing it. Please review! Thanks for reading :)