Won't get to write tomorrow, since I have a track meet, so this will be a good long chapter!

Chapter 10-Come and Save Me

Zuko P.O.V

I stared at Katara.

Not only was I freaked out by this strange side of her, I was worried too. Very slowly, I edged towards Katara, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Katara?" I choked out, my throat burning. She did not respond. Instead she continued to bang her head against the floor, mumbling something under her breath. I've been through some scary situations, but I think this might have just topped them all.

"Please Katara…look at me."

Katara moved, but did not look at me. Crawling over the side of the room, she brought her knees up, tightly squishing them against her chest. Her entire body was shaking in fear, which made me even more scared. Why was she acting like this? What had they done to her that made her so…vulnerable? I crawled over to her, again noticing the pain in my leg. I didn't dare look down at it. Besides, Katara needed me right now.

"Katara, look at me!"

I said it more sternly, and it finally got her attention. Her eyes snapped towards me, shadows casting over her face. I could now see the cuts and slap marks that I had not seen while she was lying down. Katara's lips were red and bleeding, almost as if…

"Zuko…"

After my name slipped from her cracked lips, she broke down.

"No, no, no!"

The way she said that one word broke my heart. All those moments of strength in the darkest times, all those moments where she pretended like everything was going to be fine, came crashing down on her as Katara realized there was nothing left to hope for. Her sobs echoed the room, her cries could be heard by even those who did not want to hear them. She was choking on her own guilt.

I wrapped my arms around her fragile body, pulling her close to me. Katara had never been one to cry, I knew from chasing her and Aang. Now it didn't seem like any of her inspirational speeches mattered. All her words flew out the window, along with her strength. Katara grabbed my waist tightly, holding onto me for dear life. I tried to block out her tears, but to no avail.

"Shhh…It'll be ok Katara…"

I stroked her hair gently as she continued to cry. "It's over, it's all over." Katara whispered in between sobs. When she looked up at me with those tear-filled blue eyes, I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. These terrible feelings Katara was going through was similar to when I found that my mother had left. Pure sorrow and poignancy. There is no nice way to describe it.

My shirt was soaked with tears, but I didn't mind. She could drown me in a river of tears and I still wouldn't mind. Her lips were shaking as she struggled to find anything to say. It was like she was trying to spit out more tears, but was so overwhelmed with emotion that she couldn't. It hit me straight to the core, and for only the third time in my life, I shed a tear.

Wiping away a few of her tears, I looked her straight in the eyes.

"What did they do to you Katara?"

It came out in barely a whisper, but I knew Katara heard me. Her eyes turned distant and distraught. She looked away from me, her shaky hand touching her lower stomach area. Was she trying to tell me? "What? What happened?" I asked more firmly, wanting to know exactly what happened and who did it. They were going to pay for hurting my Katara. I mean, not my Katara but…

Katara sped more tears, even more emotion raining down inside them. She kept pointing to her lower stomach area, but I didn't understand. What would they…

"They r-raped you?"

Katara fell onto my lap, sobbing even harder than I thought imaginable. My heart stopped beating and my mouth fell open as time seemed to stand still. My brain could not process this information. They had raped and sodomized Katara. Somehow, even though you may not agree, it was worse than being tortured. I had heard stories of women being raped before, and from what I understood, you carry emotional turmoil around for the rest of your life.

Disgust filled my mind.

How in hell could anyone live with themselves after they ruined a young girl's life?! I would be absolutely appalled if I had even thought of raping a woman. Katara will never have that pureness and innocence she once had. That is something she can never get back. It was forcibly ripped from her grasp, out of her control. I wanted to throw up so badly, but knew that would only make things worse.

I leaned down and lifted Katara's heartbroken face up to mine.

"Katara, listen to me, ok?"

She looked away in shame, not bothering to wipe her tears away. I moved my head right to where she was looking, forcing her to at least look my way. It hurt me so much to look at her and know that someone had hurt her, but somehow I managed to block that out. "In no way was this your fault Katara." I said stupidly. Of course Katara knew it wasn't her fault! Stupid! Biting my lip nervously, I looked to see her reaction.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters."

I shook my head at her, knowing she didn't actually believe what she was saying. I gripped her hands tightly but gently, peering into her ocean eyes. "It matters Katara," I started. "Aren't you always the one talking about having hope? Even when it seems like nothing is going right, you keep going, because you have hope that one day things will change for the better." I said, praying Katara will pop up and be happy again. Honestly though, how could she? In a split second, Katara did pop up, but in frustration and anger.

"That's the point! Everything is going right! But not for me, for them! This is exactly what they wanted to happen! They broke me down and brutalized me until I had no faith left to fight. That was the plan along, and guess what? It worked!"

Katara turned away from me and started banging on the door.

"YOU HEAR ME? IT WORKED! YOUR PLAN FREAKING WORKED! ARE YOU SATISFIED YET?"

I grabbed Katara and drug her away from the door, her arms and legs flinging in every direction. I laid her on my lap again, trying to contain her enough that I could continue talking. "Katara, stop!" I yelled loudly, shaking her shoulders. Katara stopped struggling. Everything was happening so fast it was almost confusing, switching these emotions every minute. Katara looked up at me, a confused look on her bloodied face.

Using my finger, I wiped the blood off her forehead, talking to her calmly. "Believe in me Katara," I whispered to her. "Have faith in me." I finished, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. I took a chance on this action; Katara could freak out and start having flashbacks, or she could not do anything. Her skin was still soft, even if she had been beaten only hours ago. Katara did not move, but instead just stared at me.

"Zuko?"

"Yeah Katara?"

She gave me smile. Not a bright, happy smile; a sad, forced smile. There was so much torment digging out from her lips, but somehow Katara contained it. Her smile made my heart start beating again, although I think hers had stopped long ago. Katara reached out and wrapped her arms around me, desperate for consolation. I gave it to her and hugged her tightly.

Who would have ever thought that I would be laying here comforting one of my greatest enemies? I sure didn't see it coming. Maybe I did, a long time ago; maybe I've had these feelings for Katara before. "I know this probably isn't the greatest time for this," I started to say. "But I think you look really beautiful when you cry. It brings out the color in your eyes." I said awkwardly. I never was good at flirting.

Katara chuckled, not a happy chuckle, but at least she didn't get mad at me.

"Thanks. Maybe I should cry more often."

"I disagree with that."

I smiled down at her, glad that she hadn't completely lost her sense of humor. My smile faded when I saw the look in her eyes. "I can never get married now," Katara whispered softly, sadness filling her voice. "I mean, I could technically, but who would want to marry someone who-" She stopped there, more tears flowing down her cheek. It really started to hit me when Katara said this. What if she was pregnant? What if Katara was pregnant with that sick man's child? The thought sickened me to the point I gagged on my own spit. Someone as strong and great as her deserved more than the life she had. I guess I was partly to blame for that. I made a mental note to punish myself later.

"Any guy worth your time should never resent you because of what had happened to you. If he ever holds that against you, kick his ass."

Katara laughed again, a real laugh.

I had never heard such a beautiful sound.

"I didn't know you knew so much about relationships Zuko."

She glanced up at me, an amused grin on her face. The old Zuko would have yelled at her angrily for her comment…but the new Zuko wouldn't. "I'm the prince of the Fire Nation," I started out, smiling at her. "Almost every girl wants to date me." I joked. This was an actual true fact; nearly every girl wanted to date me. It was kind of weird actually. Katara shook her head and wiped her tears away.

"I don't doubt it."

Was Katara…complimenting me? I asked silently. It was an unclear compliment, but I was pretty sure it was one. She sat up before I could come up with a response, touching my scar gently. "What-" Katara held up her hand to stop me. She appeared to be concentrating on something, because she closed her eyes tightly. Her hand moved across my cheek swiftly, and I had a weird feeling that she was doing something to me.

I felt an odd soothing sensation on the left side of my face.

"There…now every girl will want to date you."

When I realized what Katara had done, my mouth dropped open. My hand shot up to my face, feeling the now smooth skin where my scar that haunted me for so long used to be. Katara had healed my scar. The scar that had defined my life was now gone, like it had never been there. My heart and soul were soaring higher than the Spirit World right now. I smiled like there was no tomorrow and embraced Katara.

"I can't believe you…"

I could find no words for how happy I felt right now. I was certain I had not felt this cheerful since I was a little boy. Katara had literally healed my heart. My cold, bitter heart was now overwhelmed with hope. So this is how it feels like to be Katara.

I looked at Katara. The one thing I did not understand was why; why had Katara healed my scar, when the only one needing healing was her? She had just been raped and beaten, but yet she choose to help me. Now I see why my uncle says that women are confusing creatures.

"Why would you do that Katara?"

She gave me a small smile, "My mother taught me that in times of great distress, helping others will help yourself."

I smiled and felt my cheek again.

"How does my face look?"

"It looks…happier."