Chapter 10: The days always begin a new

Katara didn't quite know when she first realized she was awake; she didn't really know when she had fallen asleep, just that she had been asleep, and now she was most undeniably awake. Shifting her weight to regain comfort Katara couldn't help but realize how amazing the bed here was, so soft, it completely engulfed her, wrapping her in a silky cocoon. Katara smiled, stretching her limbs, groaning softly at the mild burning sensation which came with the gesture. Her eyes also burnt, she didn't want to open them. That meant allowing reality to take over and sink in. She didn't like reality, what she like was being snuggled by this bed. Like everything good it couldn't last, her stomach gave an uncomfortable clench, begging for food. Last night she hadn't actually eaten much and it was catching up with her today. "Five more minutes" she begged to herself, "Five more minutes and I swear I'll get up." Nope, the muscles clenched again, demanding her attention.

"Ok, fine!"

She finally succumbed and pulled herself up, the blankets sitting around her in crimson waves. She looked around, it was the first time she had ever been in his room. When she laid alone in her room back at the air temple she would always wonder what it would be like. Letting her mind drift to distant lands wherever Zuko was.

Reluctantly her feet touched the marble floors, sending a warm chill up her bare legs. Covering her torso and vital parts was a thin red shirt, one traditionally worn under Fire Nation armor. Zuko was much bigger then she was and Katara was sure the shirt fit him perfectly, on her the fabric reached down to her knees. A small smile spread across her cheeks as she remembered, the shirt smelt like him, like the heat radiating off his skin, like the sun. Without delay, and involuntarily, her mind also visited the dress she so fondly got rid of.

"Here, wear this." Zuko had said handing her a shirt from the wardrobe. "What do you want to do about this?" in his hands was the delicate blue silks of her dress kimono, the fabric completely ruined from the nights escapades.

"Burn it! I don't want it."

And so the dress burned in the fireplace, a slow, steady death. Somehow the gesture had made Katara feel better, even if it wasn't a huge or particularly significant step.

The room was incredibly large, with a tall ceiling. She only knew two nations which built anything this grand. The Earth and Fire Kingdoms. It was so unlike anyplace she stayed regularly. Sure she practically lived here after the war, but that was more than five years ago. Much can change in that time, she knew that personally.

In the far corner of the room Katara saw a curtain, slightly cracked open, catching the breeze. Without really thinking her feet trailed over the flooring from here to there. Something there drawing her ever closer, until her fingers were close enough to brush it aside.

At first the sun burnt her sore, tired eyes. Causing Katara to raise her hand against the unholy light.

Zuko was meditating quietly on the balcony when he heard her light footfall draw closer, his heart making that uncomfortable stutter, "Good morning beautiful."

Katara smiled, feeling more important now then she had in a long time. She knew it must have been hard for him last night, but he was such a gentleman, holding her, letting her cry like a complete lost fool, giving her something to wear to sleep and then talking to her, until the sun was almost shining over the horizon.

To Zuko it was nice, Katara was the first lady in his room in years, aside from Mai. Though his body ached with lack of sleep he knew it was completely worth it. He had gotten to hold her, all night to his chest, not a midnight dream, not a broken fantasy but real, him and her. It broke his heart to hear hers breaking so completely, but he was infinitely glad about holding her, cradling her, protecting her. Once she had cried all she could they talked, Katara unable to sleep. It was like their letters only better, instant. They talked about everything, avoiding the tender subjects. Katara told him all about her garden, even expressing concern about who was going to water it while she was away. Zuko told her about the endless meetings and papers he had to sign. They talked and talked until eventually Katara drifted off to sleep, not even finishing her broken sentence. Zuko, however, didn't sleep one little bit. He laid there, stroking her hair while she slept, her shoulders gently rising and falling with her breath.

"Morning Zuko." Katara walked over, sitting on the marble surface.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good," Katara closed her eyes for a second, lifting her face to the warm rays, letting her eyes scream with relief. "Won't Mai be angry?"

Zuko shook his head, "Don't worry about her." Zuko remembered back to the last words the two had shared. "We—I don't know that she'll want to be seeing me any time soon."

"Wanna talk about it?" Katara took a deep breath, pulling in the warmth of the day.

"Not much to really talk about, she tried to threaten me and it didn't go over so well."

"I'm sorry." Katara opened her eyes and looked out over the horizon, letting her tension slip away little by little.

"How do you feel today?" Zuko was worried about her, he'd never seen someone so completely broken.

"My head hurts, my eyes burn, I ache and I'm hungry, otherwise, I'm peachy."

He chuckled, enjoying the sound of her sweet sarcasm. "Uncle came a little while ago for lunch, you were still asleep, but perhaps we can still get you something." Zuko pulled himself to his feet, offering his hand to Katara, "Come on."

Katara gazed up at him for a minute, unsure of herself and the positions they happened to find themselves in. With a loud exhale she took his hand firmly in hers, pulling herself to her feet. You know what? Screw it. She didn't care right now what people would say, or what they would think about her wandering the palace, mostly naked, in the Fire Lord's clothes. As of right now, she was free, she had no purpose, no place to be, no one to please. She was free.

Leading her inside Zuko gave a crooked half smile, "What was that for?"

"What?... Oh, nothing." Katara smiled to herself letting that cool, ticking feeling seep in through her soul, things were going to be better now. Her stomach quickly reminded her that right now, it was priority.


"The Avatar did that to her?" Sokka could see the anger written all over Tsou's young face as he paced before the glass wall.

Resting a wrinkled hand on his shoulder Sokka offered a warm smile, "That's exactly how I felt. Trust me, I hated him, with every corner of my soul, but I was young, full of energy then. I didn't understand. I still don't fully grasp it. But nephew, I have learned over the years, quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to judge."

Tsou ceased his pacing, kneeling before his uncle, "I just don't understand. What about loyalty, honor, respect? He's the Avatar, he shouldn't be able to do that."

"Nephew, he may be the Avatar, but he is also a human, a man, subject to mistakes like all of us."

"I know… I just…" The old warrior could see it in his face, the words were sinking into his stubborn brain.

"That's my boy." Sokka smiled, resting a cool hand on his shoulder. In the background he could hear Kura chuckling quietly, finding the situation as amusing as he was.


"You know, you'll have to get changed eventually."

"I know." Katara munched happily on her bowl of rice and meat. You know when you hit that point of hunger when the most simple meal, or even the most foul substance can taste simply divine? Yeah, she was there.

Zuko smiled and laughed quietly, taking a bite off his own plate. It had been less than 24 hours things seemed so different, serene. Out with the formality, out with the call of duty. Just them, sitting on the floor in middle of the kitchen, barely a full set of clothes between the two of them. Katara in an oversized military shirt, Zuko topless with just a pair of thin sleeping pants. With all the formal conduct the scene made him laugh.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Katara asked, setting her bowl on the floor before her.

"Whatever you want, I did my best to clean out any meetings for this week, tried to keep everything open."

"Whatever I want?"

"Whatever you want."

Katara thought hard for a moment. In her new found freedom what would she want to do? There was so much she could do, how could she possibly choose?

After a moment of silence Zuko smiled, seeing her inner battle, "You know, if you're interested—last night was pretty much just the before party. Out in the town is where the real fun is. No stuffy dresses, no protocol, just honest to goodness fun."

"You mean like a festival?"

"Yep, good old fashioned Fire Nation fun."

Katara smiled, thinking on that for a minute, enjoying the way it sounded, the way it felt when it rolled around in her mind. "You promise, no stuffy dresses?"

Zuko's smile matched her own, both easily pleased with this new prospect, "No stuffy dresses, we can slip in, completely unnoticed. No one even has to know who you are."

That's what Sokka witnessed when he walked into the kitchen, his sister and his friend, mostly naked, with food, and grinning like fools sitting on the floor. It didn't skip his attention how much better she looked then he had expected. She was smiling, with a special glint in her eyes. He wanted to collapse on the floor with them and just hug her, but with those stupid grins he could only stand back, watching them suspiciously.

"Hey Sokka." Katara looked up at him, and through her eyes, for a brief moment he could see. She was tired from a long night of or heartache. Her eyes looked sore, slightly swollen and red. Written in her eyes was the hurt she felt inside, the betrayal which now cursed her gentle heart. The whole thing left a disgusting, sour taste in his mouth, he just wanted to… hit something—someone to be specific.

"Hey…" Sokka's eyes were so clouded for a moment, he almost didn't see it. Pain was written all over her face, but there was something else there, creeping in through the corners of her eyes, the corner of her lips, through the color of her skin. There was a special warmth creeping back in to her icy core. Katara was smiling and it warmed his heart. If Zuko wasn't sitting right next to her, with the same stupid grin, the scene would be perfect. But he had to sit there, with that stupid grin plastered on his face. Sokka knew… oh he knew.

Finally Katara pulled herself to her feet, her eyes meeting her brother's, "Sokka what's wrong? Is everyone ok?"

Sokka smiled warmly, resting an arm across her shoulder, "My girls are sleeping soundly, a quick nap. I just came in for some good old substance. Gotta keep my strength up now that I'm a family man!" Sokka grinned, flexing his arm playfully causing Katara to laugh. Behind them Zuko smiled, placing the two bowls on an empty space of counter, someone ought to see it eventually.

"How are you doing?" Sokka's voice was quiet, hushed. Even still the memory left a foul imprint. But if she could manage, he had to, he had no choice.

She nodded gently, the slightest gesture, "Yeah, I'm fine." Both men knew it, she meant the words, truly. She wanted it to be true, so she believed it to be, but her voice was harsh, sharp, betraying her true emotions. It would take some time for her to heal, if she couldn't see that it would be an awfully painful journey. But both men knew she needed to do so on her own for now, she needed to handle.

"Just what I wanted to hear. Now, you go do whatever it is you do. I'm going to scour this cursed place for some of those cursed, addictive fire flakes."

Without another word, Sokka departed a man on a mission. Discreetly he turned for one last glance, catching those stupid grins… It was too early, but he knew. By the unseen forces he knew.

Heartbeats passed slowly, silently before either of them spoke, "You never told me what you want to do."

Katara shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, I should check on Suki, make sure nothing's gone wrong. After that, the day is young, and the possibilities endless." She smiled lightly, but his face was a bit sterner, softer.

"If you want any time alone, just let me know. Give me the word."

She wanted to laugh, but she could see how serious he was being. Just the thought of him not being beside her filled her heart with a chilled panicky feeling, like her blood was running cold. "No!" Recognizing the all too eager tone in her voice Katara continued, "I mean—I just got here, I don't want you to go anywhere. We have so much to catch up on, so much I want to see."

His eyes glowed softly, as if a small sun was burning behind them. Still he reminded her, "Just give me the word." In his heart he knew there was a dual meaning to the statement, his head couldn't admit it.

"Alright, well how about this? Let's go check on the girls and then get cleaned up, we have a day full of adventure ahead of us."

The walk back was silent, just the two of them walking shoulder to shoulder, just barely not touching. No tension riddled their presence, just simple, sweet comfort. Like being wrapped in the warm waters of a nice bath early in the morning.

With a smile, and a glance over to Zuko, Katara reminded herself. Today was a new day, the past was behind her and now all she could do was move forward, and greet each new morning as a new day.