Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the song "Home" from Beauty & the Beast, lyrics by Tim Rice.

Author's Note: Well, the last chapter wasn't very popular, so let's see how this one plays. I know it doesn't work exactly, but I've been wanting a reason to use this song for a long time, and I can't imagine anyone but Katara singing it, so to speak. This starts sort of in between The Guru and Crossroads of Destiny, shortly after Katara's been captured by Azula, and continues to the end of the season.

Home

Is this home?
Is this where I should learn to be happy?
Never dreamed that a home could be dark and cold.

Katara woke in unfamiliar surroundings and sat up slowly. She was in a cave, clearly, though she didn't remember how she'd gotten there. Quickly, however, the memories came flooding back.

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were pretending to be Kyoshi warriors! That was how they'd wormed their way into the Earth King's palace and his confidence. The question was, how much did they know? Katara wracked her brain feverishly. All she'd told them was that Iroh and Zuko were in the city. She knew that they weren't exactly on the same side as Azula, but that wasn't her problem. Katara was sure she hadn't mentioned anything about the battle plans or the eclipse. Still, there was no way of knowing who else they'd been talking to.

Katara reached automatically for her water, but of course, it was gone. She slumped to the floor of the dank cave and wrapped her arms around her knees, trying to think clearly.

I was told every day in my childhood,
Even when we grow old,
Home will be where the heart is.
Never were words so true!
My heart's far, far away;
Home is, too.

She was apparently being watched because it wasn't very long before a section of the wall slid aside and Azula herself strode in, now wearing Earth Kingdom garb. Her hands were clasped casually behind her back. Several members of the Dai Li were flanking her, and Katara realized that the princess must have taken over the group of earthbenders.

"Good. You're awake," Azula remarked unnecessarily. She gestured, and a stone plate of food glided across the chamber, courtesy of one of the Dai Li, landing right in front of Katara. Azula looked around idly, as though admiring the scenery. "Do you like it here? They tell me it's an ancient city that was covered up when the new one was built on top of it." Katara didn't answer, instead eyeing the food warily.

"You're right; history is so dull," continued Azula. "Don't worry; the food isn't poisoned. When I want you dead, you'll know it. Enjoy your new home. I don't expect you'll be here long." With that, she and the others were gone, closing the wall behind them.

Home. For some reason, that word stuck with Katara. She'd never think of the city above as home, let alone this lonely cave underneath. Gran-Gran used to tell her that your heart would lead you to your true home. Wherever that was, it certainly wasn't here.

Is this home?
Is this what I must learn to believe in?
Try to find something good in this tragic place?
Just in case I should stay here forever,
Held in this empty space.

All at once, Katara realized that she was actually very hungry, so she ate what had been placed before her, deciding to take the risk. While she did so, she considered her situation. Azula had said she wouldn't kill Katara yet, which meant she needed her alive for some reason. The only reason that seemed logical was to draw Aang here so that she could capture him.

Of course, Azula had no way of knowing that Aang was hours away, at the Eastern Air Temple. Katara had no intention of revealing that piece of information, either. On the other hand, this fact made it virtually impossible for Aang to know she needed rescuing. Trying not to panic, she focused on who would be most likely to discover she was missing.

Taking in the details of her environment a little more carefully now, she recognized that only Toph or Aang would be able to rescue her. Toph was at least still in the city, but it might take some time for her to find out Katara's location, depending how her interview with her parents went.

For the moment, at least, Katara was on her own. She felt the ground, concentrating. There was water running underneath, and she thought she felt a large source not too far away. Sitting back, she decided to reserve that option. Even assuming she could bring the water up through the ground, it would still take a great deal of time to cut her way out, and she didn't know how deep she was or where she could go even if she made it to the surface.

Oh, but that won't be easy!
I know the reason why:
My heart's far, far away.
Home's a lie!

Having little else to do, Katara paced and pondered. She found herself returning to the concept of home and what it meant for her. She'd already established that it wasn't Ba Sing Se, but she wasn't sure it was the South Pole anymore, either. She'd changed so much since she left.

In fact, Katara's heart had essentially taken her away from her childhood home, and thinking of that place now left only hollow echoes of memory, not the settled feeling of being a place she belonged. Her heart had led her here, but this was clearly not her ending point. The obvious conclusion was that her journey wasn't over yet. She hadn't found her true home.

Surveying her surroundings once more, Katara couldn't help but notice that the glowing crystals appeared to be the same ones she and Aang had discovered in the Cave of Two Lovers, though these were much larger and appeared to have actually originated here. Clearly, an earthbender would have had no trouble getting through that "cursed" labyrinth.

Remembering that experience naturally led her to think of Aang. Suddenly, her head jerked up. She'd had a feeling, something strong that shoved all other concerns out of the way. Somehow, Aang knew. He knew she was in trouble, and he was coming for her.

What I'd give to return
To the life that I knew lately,
But I know that I can't
Solve my problems going back.

Despite this gleaming moment of insight, the long hours of incarceration began to wear on Katara. She actually longed for the little house on the surface that she'd shared with her friends, even with the closed-in feeling brought on by the many walls, the intrigues of Long Feng, and the stifling rules of the Dai Li. She also thought once again of the South Pole's barren tundra and of how much simpler her life would be if she hadn't found Aang.

That was just self-pity talking, though, and Katara refused to give in to it. There were many things that she wished hadn't happened, but meeting Aang would never be one of them. Anyway, she couldn't turn back the clock, so there was no choice but to move forward toward whatever the future would bring. For the first time, the significance of Azula and the others showing up in Kyoshi uniforms struck her. Where were Suki and the others?

She might have spent more time on this, if she didn't have more pressing concerns at present. Katara had to accept that the capital of the Earth Kingdom, the last stronghold in this everlasting war, was under Fire Nation control. Still, Toph, Sokka, and Aang were out there somewhere. As long as they were free, there was still hope.

Is this home?
Am I here for a day, or forever?
Shut away from the world
Until who knows when?

When Zuko joined her as a fellow prisoner, he provided a convenient excuse for Katara to vent her frustrations and the stress of her prior solitude. Once she had exhausted her pent-up thoughts and emotions, she felt drained, but also a little lighter.

In a rare moment of weakness, she told the prince about losing her mother. Much to her surprise, he actually seemed to sympathize, commenting that he'd also lost his mother to the Fire Nation. Katara couldn't imagine what he meant by that.

In any case, this enforced companionship showed her a side of Zuko that she'd never even suspected, let alone seen. It led her to believe that they didn't have to be enemies, after all. Maybe there was common ground, and the nations really could be united once more.

Oh, but then, as my life has been altered once,
It can change again!
Build higher walls around me!
Change every lock and key!

My heart's far, far away,
Home and free.

Of course, Katara's earlier instincts proved to be correct. Improbable as it seemed, Aang (and Iroh) found her and Zuko and broke them out. Unfortunately, that proved to be the last good news Katara would receive that day.

Katara could only remember one thought in her mind as she watched Aang fall at Azula's hand: he can't hit the ground. All else was feeling and action, and before she knew it, his body had landed heavily in her arms.

She stood there uncertainly in the water, not knowing what to do next but determined to protect Aang with her own life. In one last surprise, Iroh came to their rescue, giving Katara the distraction and delay she needed. She didn't question this but took the opportunity to escape, and Appa found them soon after, bearing Sokka, Toph, the Earth King, and the bear on his back.

We are home.
We are where we shall be forever.
Trust in me,
For you know I won't run away.

Katara knew that there was only one chance – the spirit water. She put her healing ability into it and sent the pitifully small amount of water into the gaping hole in Aang's back. The wound remained large and angry, and nothing seemed to happen. Katara's last hope had failed her, and she held the erstwhile Avatar, able to think only that it should have been her. The world needed him so much more, and she would have been only too glad to sacrifice herself for him.

Suddenly, though, there was a glow. Katara shifted Aang so she could look at him, and to her immense relief, he opened his eyes tiredly to meet hers. He even managed a faint smile before falling unconscious. Katara hugged him, just barely reminding herself to be gentle. Finally, she settled both of them onto Appa's head, flying toward the safest place she could think of – Chameleon Bay.

From today, this is all that I need,
And all that I need to say.
Don't you know how you've changed me?
Strange how I finally see.

Katara had no more tears left, at least right now. She was glad to have Aang beside her, no matter the precarious condition she could still sense he was in. She rested her cheek against his head, feeling already the soft fuzz of hair finding its way through his scalp. At last, Katara admitted to herself that her desperation to heal Aang had been fueled more for her own need for him than that of the world. She knew it was selfish, but it was a truth she could no longer deny.

Katara only wished that it had not taken her so long to realize how much he meant to her. Finally, her eyes had been opened, and she understood that home was not a place after all. Her home was Aang, and he just had to give her the chance to tell him that. She wouldn't accept any other outcome. Katara was far too stubborn to allow the universe to alter her plans.

Snuggling Aang more closely against her, Katara enjoyed the fact that he was warm and breathing. For the moment, that was enough.

I've found home.
You're my home.
Stay with me.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: Wow, that was a lot more work than I expected. I had not originally planned to include the reprise at the end there, but the idea for that came to me before the middle, and it really seemed to tie everything together.

intricate designs: Well, I'm glad you thought so. I'm not sure too many people liked the last installment because they didn't respond to it.

Wishing Only Wounds the Heart: I've seen Les Mis twice, and it's fabulous! The only thing I wasn't sure I liked were the changes from the book regarding Marius and Eponine. I thought it very poignant when he doesn't discover who she is at the barricade until she takes a bullet for him. Her last words are: "You know, Monsieur Marius, I believe I was a little bit in love with you."

Snows Of Yester-Year: I'm glad you came back to read the one you suggested. I know what you mean, although I've been throwing myself pretty heavily into my writing lately.