New chapter of the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Avatar series. I have nothing more to say about that.
A New Journey
Night fell across the Southern Water Tribe. Zuko still had not woken from his sleep. Katara split her time taking care of the preparation work involving the journey and caring for the twins. Uncle took it upon himself to take the greater amount of preparation work, allowing her to enjoy time with the little ones.
She sat with them for a good part of the night, alternating in her care between the two. Lu Ten had to be kept very warm while she had to focus on cooling down Kuzon's temperature. It was hard work and it tired her greatly.
Added to her stress was the reaction of her father to the paternity of her son Kuzon and the introduction to his twin Lu Ten. She had been forced to bar her father from her home for the duration of Zuko's stay. The last thing that she needed was for her father to come after Zuko for fathering not only Kuzon, but Lu Ten.
Katara hadn't wanted anyone at her home to know the full extent of her relationship with Zuko. When she left the Water tribe, she'd been acknowledged as Aang's girlfriend. She had never given any indication that things were different. When she returned to the Water tribe, it was with an infant water bender. She'd been more than content for her father to believe that her child's father was someone else.
Telling her father that she had left Aang had caused an argument of epic proportions. Her father had considered her disgraced. She had considered her situation something that was no big deal. Yes, she had been 'damaged goods', in the eyes of her tribe. But she had spent years fighting beside her brother and her friends fighting in a war that no one thought children should fight.
It really shouldn't have mattered that she decided that she didn't want to abide by her people's traditions. She was not about to allow her husband to be chosen for her. If her father had thought she would return to that meek little girl he expected her to be he had been sorely mistaken. It never would have happened anyway.
Now, everyone knew that she had been lying for years. It probably wouldn't be long before Sokka found out and came seeking revenge for his baby sister. Personally she didn't care what anyone thought. It had been her life and her decision to make.
"Everything is ready," Iroh said as she returned to the room. Katara nodded absently. She left him to monitor the twins while she moved to check on how Zuko was resting.
When she entered the room she found he'd thrown off the coverings. He lay on his back, taking up all of the available space. With a small smile Katara returned the blanket to the sleeping Fire Lord. She smoothed the hair away from his face, brushing gently against the scarred eye.
He shifted slightly with a quiet murmur. Katara watched him rest. His sleep did not look restful, which naturally worried the mother inside of her.
She sat on the side of the bed next to his hip. She did not want to admit that she was scared. She didn't want to admit that she wasn't sure how she could be strong in the face of all this. Her babies were sick. Their father looked a wreck. The peace they were all struggling so hard for could very well be in jeopardy because of her father's reaction.
She set her hand on his bare chest, just assessing the differences in color between them. A slight knock on the bedroom door drew her attention to Iroh.
"You should get some rest my dear. Your grandmother and I have decided to watch the twins for the rest of the night." There was something in the look in his eyes that let her know he wished to ask her a question. She gave her full attention in the hopes that it could just be asked and the subject closed for the night.
"Katara, if you had twins with Zuko, why would you leave him? Why have you both for so long pretended that there weren't two?"
Tired tears came to Katara's eyes as the thought about the best way to answer the question. Subconsciously, her hand stroked along Zuko's stomach scar. "We weren't ready for the emotions that came with children." At Iroh's frown she elaborated. "We were in love, maybe too much in love. How could I concentrate when all I did was worry about him? How could he be the ruler he was meant to be when he would rather spend time with me? We did what we thought was best for the world. The Fire Nation needed him. And he needed Lu Ten."
What else could they have done? The Fire Nation would never have allowed Katara to be named as Zuko's official consort or Fire Lady. The rebels, who continued to wreak havoc in the Fire Nation, would have used her as a way to gain further support for their cause.
Zuko still risked much by coming to see her. What if someone put it together that Katara had not only bore Lu Ten, but a second child as well. Separating was supposed to have been the only way to ensure the safety of the twins.
Katara gave a gentle smile to Iroh. "I'm sure you understand, Uncle, how duty can sometimes be more important than our personal lives. This isn't a perfect world that we live in."
"That it isn't," Uncle agreed. With a heavy sigh, Uncle Iroh bid Katara a good night. Katara, now left alone with the Fire Lord gave her own sigh.
"Sometimes I wish that this world were perfect. Then we could have been the perfect family." She leaned over his form to kiss his forehead. It would make for a nice dream anyway.
~*~
Zuko came awake all at once. A heavy weight compressed his chest, making it a little difficult for him to breathe. The Fire Lord turned his head slowly, finding a familiar head of wavy hair taking residence on top him.
He lay back quietly as he relished the feeling he never thought to experience again. Her body shifted closer to him. Her leg moved further along his hips as she practically lay on top of him. Zuko couldn't help the smile lighting his features.
He missed the way that Katara tended to use him as her personal bed. He missed her curves pressed against him. It would have been even better if they were both undressed from a night of passion.
He groaned slightly as he fought against those inappropriate thoughts. He couldn't have her anymore. That was the agreement he was trying to keep.
He ran his hand along her bare arm. If the world had been a different place she would have been his wife and both his sons would have been his acknowledged offspring. But the world was as it was and he was forced to live alone with a sick son.
Zuko began to slide out of the bed after thinking of his children. Katara's limbs tightened around him as she awoke groggy. "Where are you going?" she asked.
"I want to go check on the children," he said quietly. She tugged him back toward the bed.
"We're leaving in a bit Zuko. Their condition hasn't changed yet. It's you I'm worried about at the moment."
Zuko tried to shrug off his own stress as usual. "I'm fine Katara."
Katara finally sat up. "No Zuko, you don't look fine. You look about as sick as the twins at this moment and I don't like that." She brushed her fingers through his hair. "I left you in the Fire Nation in the hopes that they would take care of you and it just pisses me off that they haven't treated you the way you should be treated."
Zuko finally lay back exhausted. It was so hard being with Katara and knowing that there wasn't much to be done about their situation. He wished he could just give up his throne sometimes and live a simple life with his family.
But who would take care of the Fire Nation as well as he did? His uncle was happy with the way his life was going in the Earth Kingdom. And there was no one left in his family to take his place, at least, there was no one he trusted to care for his nation.
"Things are slowly getting better," he finally said. "My nation is growing a little more stabilized with every year that passes."
Katara slid her body over his. Her hands settled firmly on his chest, a slight smile on her lips. "Have you talked to Aang recently?"
Zuko nodded. His dealings with the Avatar were no longer a bitter competition over what happened with Katara. Zuko personally was very glad that the Avatar had been able to get over the way his relationship ended to still manage to try to help create a better balance in the world.
Toph of course, had much to do with it. In an act of maturity she'd come to visit the Fire Nation to get both sides of the story, dragging Aang. The Blind Bandit had instantly understood why the break up happened.
It had taken her months of pounding Aang's head in, but eventually she had been able to convince him that he'd been wrong to grow so upset with Katara and Zuko.
When the young Avatar had finally been able to accept that Katara's feelings weren't so unwarranted he'd contacted Zuko once more to reconnect their friendship. With Lu Ten being a newborn, Zuko had been so glad to have a friend that he could trust back into his life.
"Yeah, but I never told him about Lu Ten being sick," Zuko murmured.
She brushed a stray piece of hair from his face. "Well I told him about Kuzon. He'll meet us at the temples. If anything, he might be able to help us if what we will try doesn't work."
Zuko could only nod in agreement.
~*~
Everything was set for take off. Katara made sure the twins were safely bundled together in a room on the ship. Her gran-gran had already said her good-byes which left her having to face her father last.
Hakoda and Pakkun stood staring down a very tired looking Fire Lord and his uncle. Her father still was not very happy to learn that his daughter had been with the Fire Lord of all people.
Katara had really tried to avoid something like this happening. She hurried to her father's side, drawing his attention away from the firebenders. "Father, I hope you got a chance to kiss your grandson's good bye before we leave. I don't know how long it will take for them to recover so you should take this opportunity."
Hakoda looked as if he didn't want to move. His eyes kept traveling back and forth between Zuko and Katara. Katara had to fight her lips to be able to get them to curl into a smile. 'Please,' she pleaded within her mind, 'please don't question this.'
She was tired of having to defend her position. She loved Zuko more than anyone could imagine. Just because she couldn't be with him didn't mean she loved him any less or hadn't wished she could have married him.
As her eyes bore further into her father's gaze he finally turned away. "I suppose I should go see the little ones before they leave." He and Pakkun finally moved toward the ship as one.
Katara didn't bother to try to contain her sigh of relief. "I'll be glad when we can get moving again. I haven't had an adventure in a very long time."
Zuko began walking toward the ship. "You're right. I just wish that it wasn't this sort of trip." She nodded. Yeah. She wished the circumstances were better as well. Traveling to save her children was not the type of trip any parent should want to take.