Hmmm... I've been forgetting to put my disclaimers in this story -_-

Well, here it goes.

Disclaimer: I don not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Bad Dreams

Like his past, she haunts him in his dream. Instead of her smirk, he now sees her frown. Instead of her laughter, he hears her cries. Instead of her punches, he feels nothing. Instead of knowing her like he should, he doesn't remember of her at all.

He woke up once again from his dream, sweating as always.

He can't remember when was the last time he even had a nice dream because this was absolutely not the first time this has happened.

After Azula's right to rule with him, he had sleeping problems. Again. It scared him. Maybe he really is starting to forget her. In his dreams, it starts out nice but then, it starts getting darker, deeper.

She's there but at the same time she's not. She smiles but it hides a frown behind her mask. He hears her laughter but it soon turns into cries. She should be punching him but he doesn't feel anything coming from her. Is this even right? This was how Toph was like too right? He absolutely does not know.

He should know her... but sadly, he's forgotten her.

Zuko got off the bed and tried to meditate but Toph... she wouldn't leave him alone. He could hear her, see her smile, he could feel her. And for once, he remembers what she looked like but it doesn't last long.

She's screaming and he's running, running. Away, away from her. Why?

Why was he running away from her?

Didn't he want to stay with her?

Why is his feet moving on it's own?

Why does his chest hurt so much?

Why is she even chasing him in the first place?

Is she mad that he left her? Why are tears coming down her cheeks?

Why is he slowing down?

Wasn't he running away from her in the first place?

He's walking towards her. He's reaching to touch her but... her eyes, when she looks at him there is blood. Her tears were blood. He's trembling, he could feel it in his bones. She's reaching for him instead. Her smile... it was horrifying. He has to wake up. Now. Now!

Zuko's eyes shot open as he sweats on his floor, candles roaring at his fear. He looks around the room with his hair flowing everywhere.

He was scared. He admits it. He doesn't need help. That's what he thought but, that was horrifying. Toph... she was angry at him and he didn't know why. She was chasing him. Maybe he was running away from her. Yet, she was crying. He slowed down because deep down into his heart he knows that she holds a place in his heart. But her tears, they weren't the same. She's been crying for so long. She has no tears left to shed. Blood... was in her eyes and he was there to witness it first hand.

He's decided that he needs to get help. He needs someone, just someone.

He gets up from the floor and gets dressed. When he looks at himself in the mirror he can almost see her. She's smiling back at him, waving at him even. But the thing is, Zuko's forgotten what she looked like. So, the question now is, who is the person in the mirror. He quickly ignores the faces she was making and walked out. He still had a Nation to rule after all.

He needs to get her out of his mind. He needs to before he gets rid of every single mirror is broken. He walks past a servant and she bows to him but he ignores her. She hurriedly walked away from him. They all knew what this meant. Zuko's been having a bad dream. That was why he was so pale. He had dark circles, and his hair was a mess.

He walked into the dining room and met the Gaang (without Toph and Katara) and his uncle there. They all looked at him as he walked in. He sat down where he usually sat, which was at the head of the long table.

Iroh was the first to break the tension in the air. "What is wrong Zuko?" Iroh placed a caring hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"It was about the dreams again." This got everyone in the room to stop doing what they were doing in moment. Finally, Iroh sighed. "Zuko, you are getting worse. I think you need to rest more often."

Zuko removed his hand and stood up. "Rest? Because of all the sleep that I have had, I can't even dream at all! I don't think that I even want to sleep anymore." And with that, he walked out on them.

Aang frown and stood up also. "I think I can help him." Before he can move any further Iroh stopped him.

"If it's about meditating then it won't work. He's already tried that."

Sokka quickly swallowed and joined their conversation. "I think that I can help him. With a little of my therapy lessons, he'll open up in no time!"

As much as Iroh appreciated their help, they weren't helping the situation. Zuko hates to tell anybody anything and meditation? That was the second scariest thing to him now. His dreams were haunting him and now meditation was too. Iroh didn't think that Sokka's therapy lessons would really help him out a lot.

Katara walked into the dining room and found them all standing, no one eating anymore. "Are you guys all finished? And where's Zuko?"

"He just walked out on us." Sokka replied sulkily and went back to eating.

"Why? Did you guys do something to him?" Aang shook his head.

"No. It's about his dreams again." At this Katara was beginning to worry for her Fire Lord friend.

"Maybe I can think-"

"Meditation and speaking to him won't help." Iroh cutted in. "He won't speak to anybody." Katara frowned at this.

"But I might just have another thing that would help cheer him up." Iroh and the two gave her a questioning eyebrow. She ran out the room and came back in just as quick as she had just left.

She came back in with something in her hand. "This is a picture of Toph remember?" She handed the flyer to the two boys and Iroh. When Sokka saw the picture he smiled.

"You still kept it." Katara nodded proudly as Iroh and Aang began to smile too. "Of course." She replied

"But how is this going to help him?" Iroh asked curiously.

katara smiled. "He said that he can't remember her so I thought this would help him out a little bit. This may not be the best picture of Toph but this all that we've got." She took the flyer back and clutched onto it confidently.

"I'll go find him so I need you two," She pointed at Aang and Sokka, "to take care of Azula for me." She left them with their mouths hanging. The two boys looked at each other before groaning. Even if Katara said that Azula has calmed down a bit they still didn't really trust her. Well, Aang was willing to trust but Sokka just flat-out rejected it.

Katara thought that the best way to find Zuko was to think like him. the first thought that came to her mind was the turtle-duck pond. Of course, he was there. She approached him cautiously, unsure of what he would do in a time like this.

"What do you want Katara?" Zuko asked, a bit irritated. Katara smiled. At least he was talking to her.

"I came to help you. Here." She sat down next to him and handed him the flyer of the Runaway. When he saw it he smiled.

"This pretty much looks like her doesn't it?" Zuko asked with a smile on his face. Katara nodded at him.

"Yeah."

"Thanks." Zuko said to her sincerely.

"No problem Zuko." She wrapped him into a hug to which he returned. Katara stood.

"Well, I'll leave you alone with your thoughts for now but make sure you come back and eat your breakfast okay?" Zuko couldn't help but smile. She was still the same after all. Motherly and caring.

When Katara left Zuko stared at the picture intently.

"You look nothing like her." He had to reassure himself. To make sure that the person that haunts him in his dream, meditation, mind... was not the same one. "Thank goodness Toph, thank goodness." He closed his eyes and held the picture tightly in his chest.

"I miss you."

I hope that you guys weren't too creeped out by this chapter. And sorry for a very late chapter update. Anyways, read and review. By the time you guys do, there will already be a next chapter :) maybe.

Also, by the next chapter, things are going to get crazy. I mean, really crazy. You guys really have to read and find out! I never thought that I would actually continue this. But apparently, many like this fanfic so I don't want to be mean and rude and just drop the project you know? Well anyways, in order for this fanfic story of mine's to continue, I added in some twists and different plot lines. Hope you guys don't mind so much. Plus, don't you guys want to know who it is that is haunting Zuko? o.O I know I do.

And, no. This is not starting to turn into a Zutara if you guys were wondering. XP