So the clocks I have around me right now do not exactly match up so I'm just sticking with the time on my laptop and hope it's the correct time for when I normally post. If I'm a little early or a little late I'm sorry, it was not my intention; the clocks are just really throwing me off today. Alright I'm done talking so on with the story!
Chapter Thirty – three:
-Zuko-
Katara got her memories back…that's good, I argued with myself as I watched the Sun begin its decent from the sky. But now she won't remember anything of our time together. She'll only hate me now. As soon as her friends and family began surrounding her I decided to just walk away, despite Uncle trying to stop me. I just wanted to get as far away from her as possible.
Unfortunately my wishes were not going to be heard.
"Hey Zuko" I heard a soft voice call out. Katara's voice. Oh man now I'm really done for! I knew there was nowhere for me to escape so I slowly turned myself half way to face her.
"Hi" I mumbled. Sneaking a glance at her eyes I noticed that they held no hate or remorse that was visible. She also didn't look hurt at all; no stains or tears, not even any blood though I wasn't sure if she had started bleeding after she hit her head. She began to walk over to me so that she was standing in front of me. Neither one of us seemed to know what to say. "How's your head feeling?" I asked to break the silence.
"Still hurts, but I'll survive. I just have to be extremely careful for the next twenty – four hours. That's what my gran – gran taught me whenever we had to take care of someone who had slipped on the ice and hit their head in the process." I nodded to show I understood. "May I sit?"
Gesturing to the spot she pointed at I said, "Go ahead." She sat down on the rail and winced slightly. "You sure you're alright?"
"Yeah I'm just sore from hitting the wall and landing on the floor because of your sister." She laughed once without any humor. "Pretty ironic that your sister is the one that caused me to hit my head and lose my memory, but then she is the one to hit me so I hit my head again just to regain my memories. I guess there couldn't have been a less painful way as far as I'm concerned."
"Sorry" I apologized.
Katara surprised me as she took my left hand and squeezed it sympathetically. "It's not your fault." I brought my gaze back up to her to see nothing but honesty in her eyes. Then her eyebrows scrunched together and she pouted in that cute way before she brought the hand she was holding closer to her. "Zuko you're burned."
"Huh?" I looked down and sure enough there was a large burn, red and swelling, on my forearm. "Oh, you think I would have felt that."
"Trust me Zuko, you would be surprised how often me or my friends would end up having bruises after a battle and never even realize they were there until the next day. But if you just hold still I can take care of that." Opening up her water pouch she pulled out some of her water and it surrounded her hand like a glove. "May I?"
"Yes." I kept my arm as still as possible but Katara helped me by keeping her right hand underneath my arm with her gentle touch. Then she placed her water – gloved hand on the burn. It stung a little so I found myself hissing at the contact.
"Sorry, I'll be finished soon. Just breathe and hopefully it won't hurt for much longer." Katara tried again and the water began to glow a bright blue. The pain lessened until it completely went away. When she removed her hand from my arm it was as if there never was a burn to begin with.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Silence followed for a short amount of time until Katara spoke up again. "Zuko, why didn't you ever tell me you were the prince?"
I sighed. "Technically I'm not even considered the prince of the Fire Nation while I'm banished and because of what happened at the Northern Water Tribe I'm considered a failure and a traitor. I didn't even want Uncle calling me a prince after having to go into hiding after Azula found us for the first time! So what was the point of having you calling me Prince Zuko when I'm not considered the prince?!"
"Why would it have mattered to me? I couldn't remember anything about you after I hit my head." The whole time she spoke her voice remained soft.
"I just didn't want you to."
"Why Zuko?"
"Katara just please drop it!"
"Don't I have a right to know?"
"Yes but I don't want to talk about it!"
"Zuko please I just want the truth."
"Katara I'm sorry I never expected this to happen!"
She paused briefly before she spoke again. "Never expected what to happen?"
"I never expected to fall in love with you!" After I realized what I just said I clamped my mouth shut. I kept my gaze away from Katara so I never saw her reaction; only heard her gasp in shock.
"You…you love me?" she breathed.
I still refused to meet her eyes. "Yes. I knew I was starting to fall for you after that one night when I told you the truth about my scar – and before you ask, yes my father is the Fire Lord. I just wanted to make it sound like he wasn't so I could avoid the whole being the prince story – but I didn't truly realize I was in love with you until after our night out when we danced together. And that's really why I didn't want you calling me by my title; I was happy just being myself for once in my life without having to please others." I sighed again finally meeting her gaze; she was still staring at me wide – eyed. "I didn't want to tell you about my feelings because I knew you wouldn't remember anyway after you got your memories back so I tried to-" I was cut off when Katara leaned forward and she kissed me quickly on my scarred cheek.
"You talk way too much" she commented. Then she smiled and said, "And what makes you think I wouldn't remember?" I blinked repeatedly before speaking again.
"You still remember?"
"Zuko, I never forgot about our time between hitting my head and now. Is that what you were so worried about?" She laughed as a blush crept up my neck once again. "To be perfectly honest, I fell in love with you too. I just didn't think you could ever go for a girl like me, prince or not."
My heart felt like it was about ready to explode. She never forgot and she was in love with me too. Without thinking I leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips. Katara returned the kiss. Her lips were cool and soft like the caress of a flower petal flowing in the breeze. My left hand rested on the side of her cheek and I pushed back some of her hair behind her ear. "Apparently you think too much." Katara laughed quietly. I was about to lean in to kiss her again when we both heard a "GAHHH!"
We jumped apart to see Sokka gawking at us in outrage. "What are you thinking?! I appreciate you taking care of my sister but I never gave you permission to hold my sister like that let alone kiss her! Now I have been tolerant with you because you saved my sister on more than one occasion but now I want you to get away from - Ahhh!" Sokka yelped after he was sent about ten feet into the air and was trapped within ice. "Katara get me down!"
I turned to see Katara in a bending stance so she could hold him up. Inwardly I was grinning. "Not until you promise to stop spying on me and Zuko." Sokka started making unintelligible noises of protest but Katara was having none of that. "Sokka you are not in charge of who I fall in love with just like I'm not in charge of your love life. Even though it's easy to tell that you have fallen in love with Toph!"
After that Sokka didn't make any sound. I heard Toph approach to stand by me. A soft blush had spread along her cheekbones. Katara gently brought her brother down and he went over to stand by Toph. He took Toph's hand and brought his gaze over to me. "I'm not particularly happy about this but I'll leave you alone for now. Don't count on it in the future." With that he started to walk away with Toph until she stopped and turned her attention back to me.
"Told you that you had nothing to worry about" she said slyly in a sing song voice. Then she left, but then Katara started to chuckle and motioned for me to come over. When I did we noticed Sokka lowering the upper half of his body so he could plant a kiss on Toph's lips. Toph returned the kiss and they walked away hand in hand.
I couldn't help but grin, but it faltered once I saw that Katara was looking down at her feet like she was trying to avoid crying. Bringing my hand to her chin I brought her gaze back up to meet my eyes. "What's the matter?"
Her ocean blue eyes became rimmed with tears threatening to spill over. "You're still going to leave me aren't you?"
Sighing I nodded my head. "Yes." A tear escaped and I wiped it away with my thumb and let my hand rest on her cheek. She leaned into my touch and rested her hand on top of mine. "I don't want to, but it's for the best. You know how people feel about fire benders and I highly doubt any of the friends you made during your travels would be keen on listening to me. You and your friends can win this war. But if you send me messages I'll still find a way to help you and I can give you more information on the Fire Nation so you know what to look out for. But I promise that when all of this is over I'll find my way back to you. For now this is the best way I can think of to help."
"Nonsense nephew!" I heard Uncle call out. We both turned to see him walking towards us with his arms tucked into his sleeves. "You can still help them."
"How?" Katara asked before I could.
"Zuko can teach the young Avatar fire bending. It is the only element he has left to learn."
"Uncle I can't teach him!" I shouted. "I'm not even a master!"
"Zuko you are a master and you are the perfect person to teach Aang. Even young Toph is a master and she is only twelve. Miss Katara is a master at only fourteen. Age does not define a master, but the ability to continue trying to get better, to be able to learn, and the compassion they have behind what they fight for is what defines a master. And you, Prince Zuko, are a master fire bender." It was the first time Uncle had called me by my title since that day when I told him not to; since the day this all started when I found Katara in the woods.
"Then you're coming too right?"
Uncle just looked down before he shook his head no. "I will be staying here in Ba Sing Se helping the Earth King prepare for the invasion and opening up my new teashop that I was promised."
Whoa wait a minute! He's got to be joking! Uncle has always been there for me. He's the one man that has always acted like a father to me. He has never left my side and now he decides to leave me?!
"Excuse me, Iroh," Katara spoke up, "are you sure you don't want to come with us?"
He chuckled. "Miss Katara I am an old man who needs to take it easy. I can do my share of ending the war here by giving them the information they need. Plus I've always wanted to have my own teashop. When the time comes to invade the Fire Nation I will gladly find you all to help you fight and win this war." He walked over to Katara and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Just promise my one thing?"
"Name it."
"Take good care of my nephew."
Katara smiled. "You have my word Iroh. And thank you for everything." She then hugged him which he gladly returned.
"You are most welcome." Then Uncle turned his attention to me.
"You take care of yourself…old man" I ordered in a rough voice trying to control the lump in my throat.
Uncle grabbed me in a tight bear hug and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. "You too." He released me and stepped back. "I'll leave you two alone now." And he walked away.
I wasn't about to start crying, but Katara could sense I was still upset so she rested her head on my shoulder. Looking down I managed to pull a smile on my face for her. Despite not having my Uncle with me at least I knew I would have Katara by my side. Now I can say what I want freely. "I love you Katara" I whispered in her ear.
"I love you too Zuko" she whispered before she wrapped her arms around my neck.
Wrapping my arms around her waist I leaned in and kissed her softly as the sun set in the background.
So there it is. They finally kiss...I know most of you were probably waiting for that. Now you just have to wait one more week for the very last chapter of this story, the epilogue. Hope you have all enjoyed this story thus far. Until next time.