Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

angelthree117: I'm so sorry you're feeling sick! That really sucks. Glad my drabbles helped somewhat, though! Fortunately for you, I uploaded pretty fast this time... usually it takes me like a month to get a new chapter up!

MagicalBender: First off, I've been reading your drabbles and I like them a lot so far! They are very well written and timed nicely. I haven't read them all yet, but you've already impressed me :) And secondly, I kind of always thought that Zuko had some weird, abnormal attachment to the necklace. Especially considering he had been wearing it around his wrist all those days, but then again, maybe I'm being a typical Zutarian and reading to much into things... Oh well!

Her body stiffened, ice snaking through her veins. Her heart pumped erratically in her chest. Every movement, twitch, and jerk was betraying her own self.

She was even robbed of the ability to scream, to cry.

The moon was huge, casting ominous light over the dead and brittle forest. Katara fought, she really did, but the pull was overtaking her. The moon had abandoned her.

Then, her eyes saw who was controlling her. An exact replica of herself stood before her, except for one minor detail. This Katara had her hands outstretched, fingers curled menacingly. A wicked smile was marring her face, teeth flashing in an almost psychotic grin. Blue eyes, boring deep into her soul, were narrowed into triumphant, evil slits.

Katara was horrified by herself. No. That wasn't her. It couldn't be her. She would never act so malicious... Would she?

The moon shone brighter, just enough for Katara to see her surroundings. She wished it didn't. Her mother was frozen in front of her, a terrified expression plastered to her face. Her skin had gone blue from frostbite, icicles forming on the tips of her hair. But the worst were her eyes. They were locked on Katara, and although they were glazed over, they still looked alive. They accused her, mocked her, blamed her.

And suddenly, her voice was freed. Katara began screaming, piercing screeches that made her throat sore. Tears ran down her face, and she desperately wanted to close her eyes, but had not been given the privilege. She screamed and screamed, trying to thrash in the grip of her clone. The alternate Katara laughed, a haunting, morbid laugh that shook Katara to her bones.

"No no no no no no no!" Her voice echoed in the quiet night. "Make it stop! Make it stop!"

The copy smiled coldly. "Katara, Katara, Katara. Tsk. Now look at what you've done."

"NO! Go away!"

"Oh, Katara, it's just me. It's just me...Katara... Just...Katara..."

Her eyes shot open, arms jerking up to cover her mouth. Two golden eyes were staring at her, widened in concern. Zuko held her shoulders down, trying not to hurt her.

"Katara! It's just me! You had a nightmare, calm down!" He attempted to soothe her despite his own rapidly beating heart. She had randomely started screaming and thrashing, and he was shaken more than he liked to admit.

Her black stealth clothing was wrinkled, and her hair had fallen out of her low ponytail. Perhaps this trip to avenge her mother hadn't been the best decision after all. He was interrupted from his thoughts as Katara shuddered, curling onto her side and sobbing silently. He almost groaned outwardly. Crying girls really wasn't his area of expertise.

He sat down and hesitantly pulled her to him, afraid she would revert to her usual, hostile self and become angry at him. But she allowed him to hold her, eyes shut tight and teeth gritted in attempt to contain her sobs. Zuko wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and stroked her hair with the other hand. He shushed her gently, doing what he imagined a mother would do.

Katara clutched at his shirt, no longer caring that this was Zuko and her former enemy. She cried and cried, burying her face into the crook of his neck as he continued to say consoling things into her ear. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep, sitting in Zuko's lap with tears soaking his collar, and a hand wrapped in his black shirt. He didn't mind though. He knew what it was like to have nightmares, what it was like to wake up screaming.

So, he moved them over to Appa's head, and positioned her so that she was sitting between his legs, leaning back into his chest. Zuko gripped the reins and leaned his scarred cheek against the crown of her head.

She would eventually wake up, and this moment wouldn't last forever, but for now, he was content with just being there to comfort her. He was just fine with protecting her from nightmares.

Author's Note: What an odd mix of angst/fluff...

Anyways, thanks to all of you guys that checked out my story What Could Go Wrong! It means a lot to me!

Special thanks to those that have been reviewing my drabbles! You seriously make my day :)

MI3