bDying To Survive/b

Chapter 23- i"The Death"/i

..::-::..

It was a crisp fresh morning when Katara woke up. After the previous night of unforeseeable events, including the reawakening of her bond with Zuko, she had had a miniature struggle with her bedsheets as she fell asleep. Yawning, she opened the sliding lattice doors to the balcony and peered out over the horizon, where the sun was rising. As she reached the edge, to her surprise, Appa flew up and groaned as he settled near her. Aang and Toph were a top him, looking at her expressionless.

"What are you guys doing on Appa at this hour?" she asked.

"We're sorry to cut the reunion short, but we have to head out. Avatar business," Toph said with a sigh as she pointed her thumb at Aang. Katara's brow lifted in question, but she nodded.

"Take care of Zuko, Katara," Aang said seriously. Katara opened her mouth to respond, but closed it without a word. She waved goodbye as they flew off into the sky, leaving Katara alone and feeling overwhelmed all of a sudden. She stood there as a shiver crawled up her spine. Wrapping herself in her arms, Katara closed her eyes and took a deep breath while she bit her lip. In the past twenty four hours, she and Zuko had been attacked twice, and a war was breaking out between the Yin Yan warriors and the Xiong Clan. After restoring peace when Fire Lord Ozai was in power, Iroh had managed to keep things running smoothly, but now the situation had escalated out of control.

In his room, Zuko had sat on the edge of his bed listening to the encounter. He had held this massive grudge against Katara because he wasn't willing to trust her, but she had never truly posed a threat towards him or his family. She had been under the influence of those idiotic Masters before, and he had just been so stubborn and had turned on his shield whenever in her presence. He stood up and managed to pull his robe around his shoulders loosely. Zuko opened the doors to his balcony silently and watched in awe as Katara seemed to glow right in front of his eyes. He couldn't see her face but at that moment, with the peaceful morning around him, and her beautiful presence standing there like a statue to be admired, his shield shattered.

Katara, unaware of Zuko's stare, continued to meditate silently while leaning against the railing of the balcony. In the quiet moments that followed, she reflected on the part of her heart that wanted nothing more than to restore Zuko's faith in her. She wanted to help him regain the stability of this fiery country. Suddenly, her eyes flashed open and her breath became caught in her throat as two bare arms engulfed her. Zuko tugged her close into him and he winced slightly as her back nestled into his almost healed chest. Katara didn't need to turn around to know that the long black hair dangling down her left shoulder belonged to Zuko. He nestled his head against hers and spoke softly into her left ear so that his words brushed the insides of her mind.

"Katara, I want to trust you so badly, it hurts. I want to keep you as close to me as possible. I want you to be..."

Her breath quickened rapidly as she let the words wash over her. She closed her mouth firmly, gulping, hoping this wasn't a dream. Zuko's hands rubbed her stomach tenderly and finally he said, as softly as a feather on air,

"...mine."

Zuko spun Katara around and looked at her deeply in the eyes. She slipped her hands around his face and smiled as her eyes glimmered with tears.

"Does this mean you're forgiving me?"

Zuko finally smirked and nodded. "Yes."

Katara felt like she could fly. They stood there together, smiling at one another and suddenly Katara was blushing. She had never felt this way before and she didn't know what to expect. Zuko took her hand from his cheek and kissed it slowly while never ceasing to remove his gaze from hers.

"I hope this means you feel the same way... about me?"

Katara squeezed herself into Zuko's embrace and chuckled.

"Of course I do."

Zuko let his head rest on top of hers gently and closed his eyes with a happy smile. "Good... that's good."

He kissed the top of her head once more and then stepped back into his room to get dressed. Katara quickly got ready and almost bounded into his room so that they could go eat breakfast together. Her smile vanished when she saw Zuko had beaten her to it and was gone from his room. Confused, Katara left in search of him.

..::-::..

Breakfast was eaten with only Katara in presence. No one seemed to be around and the palace was desert like. Zuko hadn't shown up and Katara was growing worried. Something didn't seem right, especially after what had just happened up on the balcony. As Katara was searching the corridors, she heard shouts from the courtyards outside. It was Zhen and Laia, both of them in a heated debate.

"But we should try it at least! What will it hurt to try and ask for her help?" Laia screamed.

"Zuko said no one was supposed to touch Iroh! What part of that don't you understand?" Zhen replied, his temper escalating. He saw Katara standing up on the bridge watching and he rolled his eyes as he flung his arms in the air in defeat. Laia turned and was relieved.

"Katara, you need to go to Iroh's room. Quickly! No questions, just go to Zuko!" Laia shouted.

She did a double take and ran off to the top most part of the palace. The guards hadn't noticed her coming and she burst through the doors to find Zuko pacing the wide open room while Iroh slept in his bed. Once she stepped inside, Zuko glanced at her with wide eyes but there was a hesitation in his face that Katara didn't understand. She looked around a bit more and saw Mai sitting in the corner of the room.

"What's going on? Zuko... I thought..."

She didn't mention the breakfast date they were supposed to have had. Instead, she looked at a seemingly sleeping Iroh and stood there mute. Zuko walked over to her quickly and whispered in her ear.

"Iroh didn't wake up this morning."

Katara gasped and cupped her hands around her mouth. Her insides twisted in all directions and she shook her head.

"No... he's not..."

Zuko responded, "no, he's not... dead..."

From the corner of the room, Mai stood up and coughed slightly.

"Fire Lord Iroh is in a state of unconsciousness known as a coma. The palace doctors have advised that no one disturb him until further notice," Mai said smoothly.

Katara narrowed her gaze and looked at Zuko.

"Let me try to heal him. Please."

Zuko looked at her solemnly and sighed. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Katara."

She gaped at him. "I thought you said you trusted me," she seethed between her teeth lowly, so that Mai couldn't hear her.

Zuko grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

"I know. But right now, he just needs to rest. We don't know what caused this and I don't want anything to go wrong," he said with worry in his voice. Katara's expression lifted slightly and she sighed.

"May I suggest something, Zuko?" Mai asked.

They turned to face her as she stepped in closer. "At the moment, there is no acting Fire Lord. Perhaps, with the unrest happening in the turf and elsewhere in the Fire Nation, we should assume your position to the throne as temporary Fire Lord."

Zuko took a moment and then nodded.

"Let's do that. Katara, I'm sorry, but you'll have to excuse us. We have to prepare for the ceremony."

"Zuko, wait, isn't this all a bit too soon? I understand there's a civil war about to start but what if he comes out of it?" Katara asked.

He shook his head and replied, "I'm doing what I feel is best for my country. Please wait outside," Zuko asked politely.

Katara looked from Mai to Zuko and then crossed her arms as she marched out of Iroh's room. The guards escorted her downstairs as she and Laia waited for the ceremony to begin.

..::-::..

It was over quickly and only a few royals were present. The audience was mostly maid up of Xiong Clan members and top army officials. Katara had been placed in the back of the throne room along with Jet, Laia and Zhen as they watched Zuko, clad in a white kimono, being crowned as the new Fire Lord. Mai stood nearby and watched calmly as the event took place. Afterwords, everyone scattered and Katara tried to find Zuko so she could talk to him properly. Instead, she ran into Akizo, the rope master as some liked to call him.

"Hey, did you hear the news?" Katara asked seriously.

He shifted his gaze around her face and then arched his eyebrows. "No."

"Zuko is now the new Fire Lord. Iroh was taken ill overnight... I don't know what's going on anymore. First the attacks, then the fights, and now Iroh is in a coma. What else is going to happen?" Katara asked desperately.

Quiet as usual, Akizo shrugged his shoulders and gave no response. She bid him a quick farewell as she was eager to find Zuko. After opening countless doors and rooms, she finally heard something intriguing. Within the shadows, Katara slipped unnoticed into the space between the walls and the deep red curtains hung along them. Her fingers pushed the curtains aside so that she could peek into the room. Zuko stood out like a beacon in white at the center of the room, flames flickering and controlled near him in two near rows. In the middle of the room was a large table and around it were members of the Xiong Clan.

"I say we have search parties organized and sent out into all the regions of the Fire Nation. We need to track these rebels before they cause more of an uprising," stated one.

"Indeed. I believe you can agree, Fire Lord Zuko, that the Yin Yan Warriors are getting out of hand. They need to be put in their place!"

"We need people to interrogate. We need to figure out who is behind this!"

"And what about yours and Iroh's assassination attempt? We can't let that slip away as if it hasn't happened."

"Gentlemen," Zuko said, "I agree with all of you. We have to take action swiftly and appropriately. But just so you are clear, no one is to be hunted down like animals. We are all people of the Fire Nation and no matter what, bender or not, we should be treated equal. Understood?"

Katara beamed with pride as Zuko gave his concluding remark. She had always imagined he could be such a great, caring leader, but seeing him like this now made her even more sure of herself. Just as she about to leave though, her arms were pulled back and her mouth became covered. Someone was holding her back and as she attempted to free herself, she started to whimper and plead.

Zuko raised his eyes to the far wall across from him. The candles near his sides raised their flames as he pinpointed the ruffling of the curtains. He stood up and stretched out his hand so that the Xiong Clan members stayed put. Just as Zuko made his way over to the curtains, to his surprise, Katara came sprawling out of them.

"Katara? What are you doing here?"

When she came to a stop a couple of feet in front of him, her head was bent low and her arms hung loosely, her fingers almost touching the ground. Zuko's heartbeat quickened as she lifted her head slowly. Inch by inch, her hair came sprawling over her shoulders. Her knees buckled as she took a step forward and looked at the counsel with wide open eyes.

"You... know... inothing/i about the truth... NOTHING!" she bellowed.

Zuko stared at Katara wildly, trying to figure out what she was saying and doing. Her arms swung freely and she let out a maddening laugh.

"Your enemy knows... your enemy will rule... will repossess the THRONE!" she added, her eyes darting madly from one person to the next. Zuko stepped closer to her and reached out.

"Katara, what is wrong with you? What are you talking about?" Zuko asked sincerely. She jerked her head in his direction and scrambled like an animal towards him. Her fingers climbed up his abdomen and chest like a spider and then she grabbed his collar.

"Wouldn't you like to know... Fire... Lord... ZUKO?" she said with another laugh.

It didn't end and she kept screeching much to Zuko's worry. He grabbed a hold of her shoulders and tried shaking her but that just made Katara claw at his robes more.

"Fire Lord Zuko! Detain that horrendous beast of a woman!"

"What if she is sent to kill you?"

"It's a demon. That woman is possessed!"

"Kill her!"

The Xiong Clan was now rising to their feet, hoping to aid Zuko. He turned away from Katara and roared at the room.

"Leave! All of you, leave now!"

They followed his orders and shut the door behind themselves. Katara had stopped laughing and was now crouching on the floor in front of the flames. Her eyes were transfixed on the fire and her fingers were reaching out towards them. Zuko took a deep breath, and when he looked up, he sprang into action. Zuko pulled Katara backwards, away from the flames.

"Are you out of your mind? Katara... please... what's happened to you?"

He was on his knees, gazing into her eyes, desperately looking for an answer. Her mouth hung open and she licked her teeth with another laugh.

"I already told you. The enemy will conquer you. Your time... is... up!" and with that she sprang up, knocking Zuko over. She pinned him down and smiled wildly as she barred her mouth open and bit Zuko on the neck. Zuko yelled in agony as he pushed her off of him. Katara rolled onto the table and hung her head panting. Zuko stood up and cradled his neck, wincing.

"This is not happening. You've gone mad... you're..."

As he watched her cowering on the table, biding her time to regroup, a nerve hit him and something in his memory stirred. A dark image swept over his mind and he shivered.

"Possessed... your possessed!" he exclaimed quietly to himself. Quickly, Zuko ran to the adjacent wall and grabbed a pair of broadswords. He yielded them expertly and swung them in the air, posing a challenge to Katara as she twisted around to look at him. "Come and get me!" he taunted. Katara growled and ran up the stairs, the open balcony to Zuko's back. She danced around him, trying to make him lose his footing. Zuko slashed at the air near her frame, hoping to scare whatever was in her enough without having to hurt her. They walked around each other in circles, Katara grabbing his arms and digging her nails into his flesh as hard as she could. Zuko muffled his pain and flexed open his fingers so that one of his swords dropped. Katara saw the opening and smiling sadistically, lunged for it. She tried swinging the heavy blade right under Zuko's chin, but he blocked it with a clang. Katara snarled at her failure and tried again, flinging the sword with all of her strength.

"Katara, snap out of it! Please, Katara, come back to me!" Zuko yelled.

She paused momentarily, giving Zuko his opening. He grabbed Katara's hand and wrangled the sword out of it. Now with both blades in his possession, he spun Katara around and held her close just like he had that very morning, only this time, two sharp blades were cradled near her throat.

"I don't want to have to do this," Zuko whispered.

Her eyes were bulging as the cold metal touched her skin. She shook from head to toe as if she had been electrified. A long shriek emitted from her mouth and Zuko took a quick step back, worried he had actually hurt her. She stopped screaming as soon as Zuko's blades fell to the floor. Her arms grasped the air at odd angles and then finally her eyes fluttered close.

"Katara?" Zuko asked breathlessly.

There was no answer. A few seconds passed and suddenly, her body crumpled. Zuko lunged forwards, grabbing her as she fell backwards into his arms. Her forehead was covered in beads of sweat and to his horror, Zuko saw a tiny slash of blood on her neck. He cursed himself mentally and wiped the blood away with his sleeve, leaving a contrasting trail on his clothing. Katara didn't open her eyes for a few minutes, and Zuko was growing increasingly worried.

"Come on Katara, wake up for me... just wake up..." Zuko whispered, as he cradled her in his arms. All of a sudden, Katara coughed and heaved as she gasped for air. Relieved, Zuko looked into her face as she opened her eyes.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I'll tell you everything, but right now, don't say another word. Rest." Zuko commanded.

She felt like she had endured a crushing earthquake and that she had been trapped under rubble for ages. With a dreary gaze, she managed to smile gently at Zuko who was stroking the side of her face adoringly. Zuko picked her up like one would a newborn, and she cradled her face into his neck as they began to walk out of the room. Katara lifted her face and kissed Zuko's cheek softly, and as Zuko felt her warm lips brush his face, he smiled knowingly.

"You're welcome."