Chapter 12: Ripples in the Water

Little Falcon: yes, yes, I know I've been gone a long time. Trust me, it wasn't easy getting back to writing especially when you've experienced the greatest writer's block in my whole writing career so far. Anyway, I'm back and I pray that you guys still want an update from me.

Standard Disclaimer: I only own the idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth!

Her brilliant blue eyes narrowed dangerously as they reflected the shock of the fallen princess. As the water wall receded with a splash around him, several archers from a distance fell paralyzed to the ground, their faces contorted by utter agony.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the prodigal blood bender," Azula managed to resume her intimidating composure as she cautiously took a step back while her eyes remained on two major threats in front of her. "I guess I'm not the only one who isn't putting honor on the back seat," her sarcastic tone doesn't show a hint of her current disadvantage.

"I'm sorry for trusting you, it won't happen again. Say what you want, princess, but from this moment on… you'll be seeing a lot of me," Her voice was so clear… not a shred of doubt or hesitation. It was a voice that definitely belongs to her and her alone.

She was so close… only at arms-length yet he was terrified to reach for her and find that everything was just a dream. She came back… Katara returned. She's here! His heart was beating so loud in his ears he can barely hear anything else and even see anyone else. As the young fire lord tried to calm his senses, the more they struggled out of control. It was as if time itself stood still as he felt something warm and soft brush against his hand. His mind was still registering what it was but his body reacted almost automatically- his fist opened slowly and covered hers… their fingers intertwined not a moment after.

"Aww, how disgusting," Azula cringed while she tilted her head as if amused. However, the growing smirk on her innocent façade unnerved the duo.

Verifying their pessimistic thoughts, cries of pain echoed from afar followed by the yell of concern by familiar voices. It didn't even take a heartbeat for Katara and Zuko to turn their backs from their cornered prey and run straight towards their friends.

As they approached the others, something inside her pointed out the merciless culprit concealing himself. With a few quick hand motions, she easily broke their blood bending. "He's over there!" The very angry fire bender was already half way there when she said it.

A huge hurricane came into view as she grew nearer. It was so colossal that it can never be natural. "Aang! It's Katara! I can heal them but you have to calm down!" She bellowed against the raging winds. Even without seeing the air bending monk, she knew that he was halfway or is probably already in avatar state by now. "Listen to me! If you don't command your wind to disperse, you'll lose BOTH of them!" She took an authoritative tone that seems to have gotten through because the cyclone ceased existing in under a second.

The first thing she saw was Aang holding Toph and Sokka with Suki… both girls were unconscious as traces of blood trickled from their inner thighs. "Save them please…" she wasn't sure who said it but she didn't bother to even think about it.

Katara sat in between the blind earth bender and the Kiyoshi warrior as a glob of pristine water was balanced on both her palms. Sweat dripped from her forehead as she took in a deep breath. This feat, if she succeeded, would be close to legendary- not only was she exhausted from her pervious battle and long-distance travel, she's also going to heal two patients in one go. Not only her patients, but also the growing life in them. If she wavers for even a second, the healing could rebound and cause more harm than good but if she delays any longer, everything will be for naught.

"You're so late…" Toph managed to still criticize in between her cringing.

"Is that really you?" Suki tried to make a smile but failed as she clutched her midsection.

"Save it for later, ladies. For now, I have to save your life," Katara somehow found a sliver of peace as she heard the two are still fighting the incredible torment in their body. Her shaking hands gradually pressed against their stomach and began to mend the damage.

"Those blood benders are quick on their feet. As soon as they saw her, they ran with their tail in between their legs," Zuko joined the two who was standing a few feet away from the girls. When he didn't hear any form of response from the two, his amber eyes coasted over the fragile scene. "Hey, it's Katara we're talking about here… and your wife… they'll be nagging away not long after," he tried to break the ice but to no avail.

By sheer coincidence or probably because of their determination to protect their offspring, the most injury was sustained by the mother and not the baby but it was still a life-threatening case no doubt. It took two hours of intensive healing for her to be confident that her friends are fine.

Her hands were still trembling as she released a long sigh of relief. Withdrawing her hands, she raised her eyes. "They're okay… everyone's okay," she declared in between her panting as her vision swayed. "It's better for them to be seen by a real doctor soon. They can travel in their condition so I suggest you bring them over now,"

Aang and Sokka obeyed her without question as they took their wife into their arms and carefully prepared them for transport.

"We wouldn't know what to do if you weren't here. Thanks, Katara," their gratitude mixed with their welcome was enough to momentarily brush all the fatigue away. But as she got on her feet, everything spun as her legs gave way. A pair of strong arms broke her fall and instinctively she knew who it was- not only because he was the only person around, but also because that kind of intoxicating scent and distinct warmth could only be possessed by one person.

Before he was aware of it, he was holding her against him almost too tightly. Maybe because he needed a validation that she was indeed real, not just some hallucination his mind concocted to temporarily mend his shattered soul. Or maybe because he was anxious that she might again decide to leave.

Throwing all worries to the wind, Katara leaned on his chest as he carried her in his arms rather effortlessly. The beating of his heart against her ear somehow instantly became her favorite sound. "Are you sure I can go back?" She asked under her breath then she felt his grip grew tense for a short while before relaxing again.

"I don't believe you have a choice," his low, commanding tone reverberated from his chest and made her open her eyes and look at him. His eyes were filled with solid resolve and unwavering emotion. "…because this time… I'm never gonna let you go," he leaned in and sealed their lips for the longest minute in their life.

It was unclear to her when and how she drifted off to an unconscious state but if she could choose, she would've preferred staying wide awake despite the toll of everything she had done so far. It was here… in a place where she can't control anything, not even her actions, where she feels most vulnerable. It is here that recalls of the past cut deeper than it normally did because in here… she's forced to live that moment… again and again.

Blood, screams, and smoke plagued her dreams until she found enough energy to force herself back to reality. Katara awoke with a start. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she catches her breath. Allowing herself to feel a bit of relief before realizing where she was, the blood bender tore the blanket off her body and tidied herself quickly. Without any warning, an old maid entered her room and was surprised to see her patient up and about. "You should take it easy, my dear. You've been sleeping for three days since you've arrived with the Fire Lord," concern was evident on her gentle tone as she put down the basin filled with warm water, probably for her bed bath.

"Three…days?" Echoed the young woman as she was still stunned by the revelation. Inspecting herself, her body feels as if it merely took a few minutes of rest- her limbs felt as if they were made of lead. The incident before she fainted finally flashed in her head. "How are the others? Are they well? Are Toph and Suki alright? What about their kid?"

"Worrying about others before yourself… what more proof do I need that you're you?" His velvet tone sent shivers down her spine even before their eyes met… and when they did, her knees felt like they couldn't support her own weight.

As the maid excused herself quietly, Zuko could barely breathe as he took in her ethereal beauty. Just being under that electric blue gaze was enough to make him lose sight of everything. In the days that she was asleep, he almost crippled with overwhelming fear that she might not wake up again but now that she's standing before him now… it was as if the heavy weight on his chest was magically lifted. The moment her lips formed a polite smile, his body automatically reached for her as his arms wound around her without hesitation.

His bold actions caught her off guard but she neither detested nor responded to it. "Katara," hearing him call the name she had voluntarily forsaken, finally woke her up entirely. After a long while, her hands were about to return his embrace when somebody interrupted the moment.

"Wow, I never saw that coming," She never thought that the day would come when she would be glad to hear her big brother's sarcastic remark. At his side were the others with a welcoming grin on their faces.

Reluctantly withdrawing from his arms, Katara was lunged but the two girls. "Welcome back!" They said in unison as their smile was still plastered on their blooming faces.

"Have you already seen a doctor? How's your condition?" She addressed the two with apparent worry while it still felt awkward to suddenly return to being close friends after acting so cold just a few days ago.

"The doctors say whoever did the healing did a superb job," The Kiyoshi warrior replied with a thumbs up.

"We really wouldn't know what to do if you weren't there. Thanks a lot, Katara," Toph stared at her with those unseeing eyes. It was as if she wasn't really blind at all.

As her gaze traveled to each person in the room, her heart clenched with heavy guilt. "How can you be so sure that I'm really her?" Bowing her head in shame, she waited for their answer.

"We kinda knew you were Katara… way back. But we also know that you weren't lying when you introduced yourself as Azrael at first," The avatar scratched his bald head as that boyish grin made him a few years younger than he already is.

"Katara, come on! I'm your brother and these people have been with your for, I don't know, more than five years. Give us a little credit. What kind of family would we be if we can't tell who you really are?" Sokka pulled his sister in for a little show of sibling love. "You had me worried there, little sis," he whispered.

Tears blurred her vision and trickled down her chin relentlessly as soon as she heard this. This was a scene she erased from her memories and even dreams… she didn't deserve to be loved like this, not after what she had done. It was totally unjust that she feels so much happiness after all the things she had caused… but for this moment… she allowed herself to feel human once more, not just some being bent on fulfilling a mission. For this time, she set aside the name Azrael and is Katara once more.

"Your blind faith in me is flattering but you need to know the truth… I'm sure you may have figured out parts of it but you deserve to hear everything… and after this… I won't hold it against you if you want to walk away," Coming clean was probably the hardest thing she had ever done but when she was through sharing every single detail, she felt incredibly light.

"It wasn't your fault, Katara. You wanted to save those people. I would've done the same thing," Aang tried to justify but was immediately cut off.

"Don't patronize me, Aang! Don't," she spat as she turned her head away in revulsion.

"If I were you, I would've let a handful of people die if it meant saving a hundred more lives in return," Zuko broke the silence with his brutal honesty.

"Zuko!"

Tears again streamed down her cheeks for a whole different reason now. It was as if she was waiting for those words this entire time. There was hint of pretense or bias… just the bare truth.

"But… You're not me… and if you would've done what I said then you wouldn't be Katara at all," The Fire Lord leaned against the wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest as a confident smirk lifted his lips.

For the first time since that event, she felt she was forgiven and although she knew that some greater punishment awaits, she relished in the thought that somehow… she was capable of forgiving herself.

With an irritated roar, a whole wall was blasted off the room. Lethal blue flames covered her fists as she gritted her teeth, her eyes burning in rage as they stared at the searing ruins. "You cost me one valuable pawn, Zukie," the fallen princess straightened her long tresses before turning to the two trembling blood benders in the corner.

"Calm yourself, Azula," the former fire lord entered the room with a stoic face.

"It's all their fault if it hadn't been for that…"

She was instantly silenced when he pulled his hand up. "You've been overexerting yourself. Why don't we let other people do our job for us," Ozai glanced at the pathetic blood benders before looking back at his daughter.

"What did you do, father?" The former princess inquired enthusiastically.

"Let's just say… No path is darker than when the eyes are shut,"

Little Falcon: Read and review okay?