o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

"I don't understand why you had to get your hair done again." Toph grumbled. "It seems pointless to me."

"You're just angry I had you come along with me." I laughed.

"Yes, that may be true," she admitted. "But still, did you really need that new dress?"

I glanced down at myself. Using the purchasing power of the Bei Fong family, I had bought a new wrap dress. This one was a pretty green number with a dark trim and a sash around the middle. Simple, but it was formfitting in all of the places that mattered, and I thought it made me look great. Hopefully Hanako would feel the same. "Yeah, I can't just show up in my regular clothes."

"Why not?" she asked.

I scoffed at the idea. "They are faded, ripped, and I know they have blood stains on them. I want to look nice."

"Okay, princess." She rolled her eyes at me.

I smiled at her and ran my fingers through my silky hair. "I haven't gotten done up like this in years!"

Toph groaned. "So you get your hair done twice in two days…you could have just- I don't know- not taken a bath last night."

"I know this world is different," I sighed and let go of my hair. "But in my world, we bathe daily."

Toph shook her head. "Your world is crazy."

"We don't die from common colds either…" I mumbled.

"So…" Toph began. "When are you planning on telling Sokka?"

"About bathing daily?" I stalled. "I plan on telling him soon, trust me…he stinks."

Toph grunted in annoyance and put her hand on her hip. "Come on, you know what I'm talking about."

"Um…" I paused. "That is a good question."

She laughed. "It's a very good question."

"I was hoping to leave without seeing Sokka on my way out the door."

Toph began laughing harder. "That was your plan?"

"Well, I don't really want to lie to him." I sighed.

"Yes, lying is not a good idea. If he finds out, he'll kill you." She shook her head. "And if not you, then your boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes. "He's not my boyfriend, he's just a date."

Toph made a noise stiff with disbelief.

"He's just a boy I met, and I would enjoy getting to know him more. Strictly platonic."

Toph smirked. "Is he cute?"

"Yes." I admitted. "He's cute, but really… It's not like I'm looking for love or anything. This is just to have fun. And you can use your lie detecting powers on that one."

"I wonder if he's muscular…" She continued, ignoring me completely.

"Yes, he is." I laughed. "But that's not the point."

"Oh, I know… I'm just messing with you." Toph gave me a harder than necessary pat on the back. "But you know, Sokka is going to be angry, better not let him meet the guy."

"Oh, I know Sokka's going to flip, but he's going to have to deal with it." I asserted confidently.

"Just don't let him see you before you leave…" Toph muttered.

"I know…he'll probably ask where I'm going and then I'll probably end up telling him the truth." I admitted.

"No…" Toph smirked and I suddenly got nervous…very nervous. "It's what you look like that'll bother him."

"What's wrong?" I asked and looked myself over. "My dress isn't very revealing."

"Its not that…it's your hair."

"My hair?" I ran to the vanity and checked it out. My hair was smooth, not a hair out of place. "What's wrong with it?"

"Oh, nothing big…" Toph appeared nonchalant. "Its just the Southern Water Tribe is very traditional."

"Traditional?" I asked.

"Yes, very traditional."

"Okay…" I spoke slowly.

"Women from his home don't wear their hair down." She hinted.

"Well, I'm not them." I said.

She smiled. "Only your husband is supposed to see you with your hair down. It's supposed to be a very intimate thing."

I blushed. "Well, were not in the Water Tribe, now are we?"

She chuckled. "You try telling him that."

"But I've seen tons of girls around with their hair down…" I fingered my sash and contemplated putting my hair back up.

"Like I said, try telling him that." Her eyes stared blankly ahead, unfocused, but full of warning.

"Well, I'm not going to change my hair now. Besides, Sokka needs to understand that I didn't grow up in the Water Tribe. I grew up in America, and in America, we can wear our hair down whenever we want."

"Alright…" she shrugged, a smile playing on her lips. "It'll make things more entertaining for me."

"That's all you care about, isn't it?" I asked her.

"For the most part."

I glanced out the window and sighed at the setting sun. "He'll be coming to get me soon."

"Better hope lover boy can defend himself." Toph elbowed me in the side.

"No doubt he could hold his own against Sokka."

"Yeah, but I'm not too sure about Zuko."

If my face was pink before, it was crimson now. Until this moment, I had forced thoughts of Zuko from my mind by willpower alone. He was also one of the reasons I went out with Toph again today. I did not want to see him again. I was absolutely terrified that if I saw him, I would start feeling things again. These horrible, nauseating feelings.

His strong arms, his fine ass…

I couldn't even sleep well last night, every time I lay down, I felt his body on top of mine.

Disgusting.

I'm just thanking the gods that I managed to miss him when I ran out of the house this morning and when I snuck back in thirty minutes ago.

"Zuko?" I questioned nonchalantly. "Why should he be worried about Zuko?"

"Hmmm…" Toph gave me a strange look, one that told me she knew something that I didn't. "No reason."

"Why?" I asked again, a nervous feeling growing in the pit of my stomach.

"No reason." She repeated firmly.

I rolled my eyes and turned to the vanity again. Hair? Check. Dress? I did a small twirl in front of the mirror and checked that off my list too.

For a second, something stopped me. My eyes zeroed in on the pendant resting at my collar bone. Sokka said I looked like my mom…and as I stared into the mirror, I could see her staring back at me.

"Oh no…" Toph said.

I jumped in surprise and turned towards Toph, rubbing my necklace in worry. "What is it?"

"I think he's here."

My eyes widened in surprise and I quickly turned to the mirror and dabbed a light stain on my lips.

"Uh-oh… He's going to the door." Toph patted me on the shoulders. "Kat, everyone is down there."

My face must have portrayed pure horror. "No…"

"What are you waiting for?"

My legs seemed to move before my mind even thought to run, and I raced out of the room and headed through the hall, mumbling profanities the whole way. I put on a burst of speed and rounded the corner, putting myself in full view of the group.

Zuko was the first one to look up and meet my eye. My heart immediately sped up and my breath caught in my throat.

His eyes raked over me and my stomach began to flutter.

Damn these feelings!

"Katara?" Aang asked.

I turned to see Aang and Sokka staring at me.

"What are you wearing?" Sokka asked, mortified.

"Uh…" I couldn't say anything; my mind was only concentrating on the feel of Zuko's eyes on me. No matter how hard I tried to squelch out the feeling, I was strangely happy. The primitive woman inside of me was proud I caught the attention of the alpha male. The strongest and most capable man I've probably ever met.

"Wow Katara, you look great." Aang rubbed at the back of his neck, a blush showing bright on his face.

Sokka was still making strangled sounds, and I wondered whether Toph was lying about Hanako being there just to get me in front of Sokka.

"I just, um…" I stalled.

Suddenly, I heard it. A knock at the door.

Relief and apprehension flooded my brain. Why had they all been downstairs? And why hadn't Toph told me earlier? I could have snuck out and avoided all of this. This was the worst. Now I had to deal with Sokka flipping out and that would be awkward for both Hanako and I.

I considered making a run for the door, but Sokka was already there, opening the door.

For a second, all you could hear was mumbling. Then, all of a sudden, Sokka jerked back as if struck.

"A date?" he screamed.

"Oh no…" I hid my face in my hands.

Sokka whirled around and stared at me. "You have a date?"

Could this get more embarrassing?

"Katara has a date?" Aang asked, his brows creased with worry.

"A date?" Sokka repeated.

Hanako stepped in, and I could see the confusion written on his face.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Aang asked.

"I can't believe it!" Sokka yelled.

"I didn't want this-" I gestured over at Sokka. "To happen."

"But…" Aang trailed off.

"A date?!"

I covered my face with my hands and groaned.

"You're going out…on a date…" Sokka's head whipped around to Aang and Zuko, and then finally back at me. "Looking like that?"

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. Between Zuko's incessant stare, Aangs hurt expression, and Sokka constantly repeating 'a date?' over and over again…I think I'd rather fight Azula and her lackeys. Without a glance at anyone, I strode to the door, grabbed Hanako's arm and pulled him from the room, not even bothering to close the door.

"I'm so sorry…" I mumbled once I felt it safe enough to stop.

He laughed. "Really, no problem, I have a little sister… I kind of understand your brother."

I groaned. "Then I feel sorry for your sister."

He smirked. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on her."

"So…" I glanced around. "What are we going to do tonight?"

"Well, I thought I'd take you to a play… That is, if you don't mind."

I smiled happily. "That'd be great!"

He smiled back and led me through the packed streets.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

"Oh come on, Zuko, get a hold of yourself." I paced my room, back and forth, back and forth; the floor would soon be worn down if I kept this up. But Agni, I couldn't relax, couldn't stop seeing her smirking face, and couldn't get the image of her in that damn dress out of my mind.

But why?

I had a girlfriend for spirit's sake! I should be thinking of Mai this way, not Katara…I tried to put her image in my mind. Her raven hair, her piercing eyes, her tall and elegant figure…But Katara popped back into my mind. And I knew it was that dress's fault, it had to be. That stupid dress hugged her hips, accentuated her waist, every time she breathed, it stretched tight over her chest, making her breasts-

"Ah!" I yelled and punched my bed.

Damn that dress.

I closed my eyes and pictured her in her normal clothes. Her blue tunic and pants, her strange shoes, that weird tie she keeps around her wrist, the pendant that pressed up against my chest as I lay on top of her, her breath fanning over my skin, making me tingle.

I should have gotten off of her immediately, but I didn't. I should have planned better, attacked her differently, and somehow changed what happened. But by the time I realized we were falling, there was no time to shift my weight, and there wasn't anything to do but fall.

And now she was out with another guy.

Who was he anyway? When did she meet him? Does she know anything about him? His family? Did she really like guys like that? Those pretty boys?

Does that mean I don't stand a chance?

No. Stop it, Zuko… You have a girlfriend. Mai is a wonderful girl, beautiful and loyal. The perfect woman.

Would she have said yes had I asked her out? Would she have laughed at me?

No. I gwroled, smoke coming from my mouth. I needed to meditate. I dropped to the ground and closed my eyes, steadygin my breathing, Stop now. Meditate. Yes, meditation would clear your mind; it would make you forget about her.

The image of Kataras perfect butt shimmying out the door flashed into my mind.

Damnit! It was all Katara's fault…ever since she saved my life I've been thinking of nothing but her. Why did she have to save me? I'm sure Aang would have saved me without any problem. But why Katara? Why did she care? I thought she hated me…didn't she? She does nothing but yell at me and hit me. But she saved me anyway. Did she like me?

I clenched my fist in fury. I had to stop thinking like this, but I couldn't. Oh Agni, I had to get out of here. I had to get some fresh air.

It was on my way down the hall, Sokka burst out of his door, a sheathed sword hung at his shoulder. It didn't take a genius to see that he was probably going to go after Katara's date.

For a second, I considered letting him go. I figured it could be beneficial to both of us… Sokka could get some practice, and that loser would be out of the picture.

No. Remember Zuko, Katara could do whatever she wanted. It's not like you even liked her or anything. How could you like a girl so infuriating and headstrong? Yeah, Mai wasn't infuriating, she wasn't headstrong. Katara made me want to claw my eyes out… Mai didn't. Katara made hair on the back of my neck stand. Mai didn't.

But Katara made your blood boil… In a good way. Mai didn't. Katara challenged you. Mai didn't. Katara was different from any girl you've ever met (which isn't many, but still…). Mai was just like them. She was the woman you were expected to marry. Mai would make the perfect, submissive, Fire Nation wife. The perfect, expected, Fire Lady. Katara wouldn't.

"Sokka." I growled.

He flinched and spun around, his face sheepish. "Zuko?"

"Where are you going?" I hissed, glancing towards the room Sokka just left, no doubt Aang was in there sleeping.

Sokka made a face. "Um… Nowhere…"

I folded my arms across my chest, having none of that. "Katara would kill you."

Sokka pursed his lips. "What do you mean?"

""Don't play stupid. You can't go after them."

"I, uh, wasn't going to…" he laughed nervously. "I'm going to get a snack."

"What's the sword for then?"

His eyes shifted around. "To cut my snack with…"

"Why not just use a knife?"

"I, uh… I wanted a big snack."

I felt like hitting him and laughing at the same time. "Right…"

He shifted on his feet. "You know what? I don't think I'm very hungry anymore… I should just… go."

Sokka made a run for it, but I was too fast. I ran after him and grabbed his shirt before he even made it to the door. "No, Sokka. Stop."

"But I can't let her-" Sokka tried to run again, but I held firmly. "What if he-"

"Then we will kill him, but you can't follow them."

"Yes, I can!"

"You know she'll find out."

He paused. "No, she won't." It was more like a question than a statement.

"Sokka…" I gave him a reproachful look and he frowned.

His face was wrinkled with worry. "But she-"

"I know…" I patted him on the shoulder and have him a push. "Now why don't you go outside and practice your forms."

"Okay…" His shoulders slumped and he trudged off towards the backyard.

"Do I have to come and check on you to make sure you're still there?" Man, I thought, I was starting to sound like the kid's father.

"No…" he mumbled and disappeared out of the door.

"Geez, kid, you have issues." A familiar voice called as soon as the door closed.

I smirked, turning to see Toph at the doorway to the room she shared with Katara. "Where do you get off calling me 'kid'?"

Toph threw her head back and laughed. "You don't care about me saying you have issues, but you care about me calling you 'kid'?"

"Sounds about right…"

"Get your Fire Nation butt in here." She smiled and waved me into her room.

Normally, I would be very against going into a girl's room, but this was Toph… She was like the sister I always wanted. So, going against all of the etiquette I've ever been taught, I strode into the room like I owned the place. "Am I in trouble?"

"I'll say." She muttered.

I sat on a chair and rested my elbows on the table in front of myself. "What I do this time?"

"Oh, just general stupidity…" She waved me off.

I sighed. "I think that's the worst kind."

"I agree."

I leaned back in my chair. "So what did I do?"

"Oh, nothing really… You're just over here checking out Katara while you have a girlfriend." She replied nonchalantly.

"I was not checking her out!" I hollered.

She scoffed. "Yeah, I may be blind, but I'm not stupid."

"I didn't call you stupid." I mumbled bitterly.

"Are you even with Mai anymore?"

I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. "Yes, we never officially broke up."

"Even though she tried to kill Katara?"

I growled. "She wasn't going to kill her."

"Oh yes, she just stabbed her as a way of saying hello."

"Shut up." I moaned.

"You got it bad." She shook her head at me.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "No, I don't."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Zuko… You were in your room pacing for two hours."

"What?" I asked. "Two hours? That can't be true!"

She nodded her head. "Well, it is."

I groaned.

Toph stuck a finger inside of her ear and dug it around. "Just admit that you like her already."

"I don't like her." I insisted.

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"You can't lie to me."

"I'm not lying."

She folded her arms across her chest and gave me a pointed stare.

"I'm not!" I yelled back and did the same.

Toph leaned forward. "Here, let me try something."

"No." I replied obstinately. Last time I let her try something, she nearly broke my arm.

She smiled. "Mai."

"What are you doing?" I hissed in annoyance.

"Hm…" She nodded her head. "Katara."

Images of Katara floated into my head. One second she was sitting on top of Appa, the wind blowing in her hair, the next second she was smiling in elation after successfully waterbending. She was under me next; her eyes clenched shut, her scent filling my head.

"I know what you're doing… Stop it." I warned her. "I like Mai… I'm with Mai."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah… That was why you were picturing Katara naked right then."

I gasped, shocked. "I wasn't picturing her naked!"

"Sure, you weren't." she slapped her knee and laughed.

My face was as red as a tomato. "I hate you."

"Oh, you're so easy."

"Toph. I'm only going to tell you this once." I stared straight into her unseeing eyes. "I don't like Katara. I can barely stand to be in the same room as her."

She smirked and winked at me. "I'm sure you can't."

I glared at her. "Stop it."

"Oh, so threatening…." She mock shuddered.

"I don't know why I put up with you." I rubbed at my forehead, suddenly tired.

"Wait…" Toph frowned for a second. "It looks like Katara is back."

I glanced out the window and saw Sokka drop his sword and sprint inside. The kid must have ears like a hawk, I hadn't heard the door open at all.

"Uh-oh..." Toph mumbled.

"What?"

"I think they're going to start fighting any minute…"

"How can you tell?" I asked.

Toph paused for a second, listening. "Katara's telling him what they did tonight."

"What did they do?" I asked, trying to mask my eagerness.

Toph turned to me and smiled with raised eyebrows.

"Not that I care." I mumbled.

She smiled her damn all knowing smile. "Of course you don't."

Anger boiled inside me. "I don't, why don't you-"

"Wait…five…four…three…two." She mouthed one, and then Sokka exploded with anger.

Sokka yelled. "He bought you something!"

"So what if he did!" she screamed back.

My anger faded, and was replaced by a strange emotion… Jealousy?

Sokka must have said something else, because seconds later, Katara was back to screaming. "I don't care what you think! This isn't the Water Tribe!"

"So what!? It's your culture!"

"I didn't even know about it until a month ago, cut me some slack!"

"Slack?!" he shrieked.

"That's it, back off now, or I'm going to cut you a new mouth." Katara threatened.

"But-" Sokka cut off.

It was then that I heard foot steps storming in our direction.

I should have left, gone to my room, but it all happened so quickly that I didn't have a chance to think let alone hide.

She burst into the door, not even glancing my way. "Can you believe him?"

Toph smiled at me. "Nope."

I could see the trinket on her arm. It was a green woven bracelet with the Earth Kingdom insignia on the front. Nothing expensive, nothing too inappropriate.

Good.

She began pacing. "Come on, Sokka, He got me a bracelet, its not like he proposed or anything."

Toph was still smiling. "I agree."

She walked to the vanity and began braiding her hair into her usual thick braid. "He can be so-" I could see her eyes zero in on me and she froze.

"I'll just…" I got up and began walking away. "Be leaving now."

I got out the door before I heard her yell. "Toph! Why didn't you tell me?"

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

"Make sure you have all of your stuff!" I yelled in the general direction of the bedrooms.

All I heard was grumbled replies.

I sighed and tapped my foot impatiently. I had been waiting for nearly an hour for Sokka and Aang to get packed up. I've probably said this before, but I have no idea how they manage to scatter their stuff everywhere. And of course, they didn't start packing until the very last minute, and thanks to their careful preparation (not), they had to find all of their lost stuff. You'd think Aang would have been done long ago, he is a monk after all… I didn't think they had too many possessions. But apparently not. I guess since he's been to so many places he was bound to pick up a few trinkets. And by few… I meant a whole ton.

At least I didn't have to worry about Toph and Zuko… They had already left and were probably with Appa right now. Lucky bastards. What was with those two anyway? They were practically inseparable! I know Toph was a great girl and all, but even I tired of her sometimes, even I wanted a break from her. But not Zuko, he seemed to seek her out. They were like best friends. They were probably skipping through a field of daisies right now…

Why had I stuck behind? Oh yeah, it was because of him… I don't think I could have gone with him without doing something stupid. And what did I mean by stupid? Well, I'm not sure… I just know I would regret it.

It wasn't until ten excruciating minutes later, that they finally came. "Ready?"

"Yeah…" They replied with enthusiasm.

"Good, now let's head out." I led the way out of the house and back to Appa.

It wasn't long before we found Appa; really, he wasn't that hard to miss. Had anyone been hiking or hunting near Appa, there was no doubt we would have been found out.

"Is Appa all packed up?" I yelled up to where Zuko was on the saddle.

He poked his head over the side. "What do you think I've been doing this whole time? Picking daisies?"

Toph burst into laughter. "Daisies… That's a good one!"

"Let's just go now…" I grumbled.

"Yeah, let's get to the Air Temple already; I haven't seen it in ages."

Sokka smiled. "I'm just glad we'll never see that kid-"

"Hanako." I corrected.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "We'll never see him again."

We climbed into the saddle and I took the empty spot next to Sokka. Usually, I would sit with Zuko, but I didn't think I'd be doing that anytime soon.

Appa groaned as he took off and soared into the air. Hopefully, it would be early enough in the morning that not many people would be out and about; hopefully, they would all be asleep. If not, then they would have one hell of a story to tell their kids.

It was just seconds after we took off that it happened.

"What is that?" Sokka shielded his eyes from the sun and stared off towards the gate of the city.

I looked over and gasped. A cluster of red was marching towards the town. I had never seen a Fire Nation army before, but there was no doubt that was what it was.

"Is that…" Zuko began. "An army?"

I nodded dumbly.

"Oh Agni… This isn't going to be good…"

I tried to look away, but my eyes were drawn back to the sight of an army approaching the town. The same town that we just had vacation in.

"Aang!" Sokka yelled to him. "Turn around now!"

"What?" he yelled back over the roar of the wind.

"The Fire Nation! We need to help!" I screamed over Sokka's frantic yelling.

Aang jumped off the top of Appa's head and landed in the middle of the saddle. With one glance at the marching platoon, he paled. "Not again…"

"We need to help Aang." I rested my hand on his arm, sensing his reluctance.

He paused and nodded.

Zuko, in an act I didn't know him capable of, clapped him on the shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry Aang, this won't be like the Air Temple."

His head snapped towards Zuko. For a few heartbreaking seconds, Aang just stared at Zuko, and then he nodded and jumped back onto his bison's head.

I grabbed Toph's hand as Appa swerved, and she held it in a death grip until we landed.

All together we jumped off Appa's head, and needing no words between each other, we ran towards the army.

The army broke through the gate easily, sending the few guards running.

An alarm sounded just as they saw us.

It all happened quickly. They rushed us and attacked with hate, pure hate, written all over their faces.

I was ready, excited, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Finally, all of my training would pay off; I would finally be able to prove that I was a warrior. That they had taught me well.

The man came at me, swinging his fist. I blocked it with my arm and roundhouse kicked him, knocking him off balance and onto the ground. I readied my orb of ice and hit him in the temple, knocking up unconscious.

I had no time for relief; another man had already replaced him.

I whipped him in the head and delivered a punch in his gut. He stumbled, but recovered quickly than his fellow soldier. He lashed out with fire, and I ducked, surprised. I brought a stream of water around and knocked him down with it. With one exhale, he was incased in ice.

He smirked and the water evaporated off of him with ease, leaving nothing but a puddle in its wake.

I frowned and attacked him again. Eventually, I caught him off guard and got him a good whack in the head.

My breath was short, sweat already coating me. I looked down at him and frowned. Even though they were trying to kill me, I would never be able to do that to them… I refused to.

"Katara!" I heard a voice yell.

I ducked a ball of fire and attacked back, knocking him flat on his back. When I was finally able to turn around, I was surprised to see Xin.

"Katara! You must come and help, there are too many injured."

"But they need me!" I looked over my shoulder and saw my friends engaged in battle, fighting for not only their lives, but for the lives of the people of this town.

"Katara!" his face grew grim. "We need you. You're the only one who can help!"

"But what if-"

"It's your duty as a healer to save lives." He gestured at the carnage. "Not take them."

"I…uh…" I wanted to be here, fighting alongside my friends, but I also knew that Xin needed me more. There was no doubt we would win, what with all of the earthbenders and us, so I knew what I had to do. "Lead the way."

He took me to a special medic tent that had been set up especially for him. The tent was something out of a World War One movie. Rows and rows of beds were lined all through the tent. Already, there were more than two dozen soldiers, all injured, broken, and bleeding.

"This is a first for me, but I'm going to be your assistant today." He told me. "You will be able to heal them almost instantly… I can't."

I gulped. "Can I do this?"

"I know you can." He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Start at the back of the tent, they've been here the longest."

I nodded dumbly, already overwhelmed by how many were injured this early into the fight. The only thing that got my feet moving through the shock was the thought that if I didn't move quickly, they might die.

"Okay." I called to Xin, my mind finally working correctly. "Please make sure they are attended to until I reach them."

Xin nodded and ran off.

"Lee!" I yelled, knowing he was somewhere around here.

He didn't disappoint. "Katara!" he yelled and ran over to hug me. "I'm so glad you're here! There's so many…"

"I know…" I grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "You know more about these patients, we need to start with the soldiers that are worse off."

The first man was already unconscious. His head bandages were soaked with blood, and he was pale as death. His whole arm was bandaged up, telling me that Xin had already finished with him, already put a salve on his burns, but since I had the ability, I wanted to heal him completely.

I pulled water out of a bucket and formed a glove around his head, only leaving him a space to breathe. Color automatically washed back in his face, and I took my first full breath of relief. Next, I undid the bandage and cringed at the smell of burnt skin and herbs. The flesh underneath was red, oozing, and blistered. I called water and healed that quickly and easily, moving on to the next patient.

By the time I got to the middle, the beds behind me had cleaned out, and most of the soldiers dutifully gone back out to fight. But no sooner had these soldiers left, that the beds were filled again. The tide of injured never seemed to slow. I couldn't count the number of burns, stab wounds, and other injuries I've healed. This was all too much for me.

This wasn't the picture of war I had in my mind. This was much worse. Movies led me to believe that the good guys always won, the bad guys were always dealt justice. The hero never got hurt. But all of these men were the heroes, all of these guys are the good guys and this tent was filled with them. It was enough to make me want to cry, but I couldn't. I had to be strong for these men. I could shed no tears.

The man to my left had been stabbed in the side with a sphere. The man to my right: caught on the wrong end of a firebenders fist. Now, his whole face was covered in blisters. Without me he would have gone through the rest of his life scarred and disfigured.

"Lee!" I called over my shoulder and began healing the shaking mans burns.

He ran up to me, his hair drenched with sweat, scrapes littering his arms. "What is it?"

"Hold his arm still for me." I commanded, pointing to his broken bones.

He nodded and grabbed him gently, but I could tell it was a solid grip. A thin sheen of sweat formed on my brow as I began healing his arm, but the time I was done, I was practically drenched with sweat.

I moved on to heal the stab wound and took care of it in less than a minute.

By now, I was exhausted, but I knew I couldn't stop.

"Katara! Are you okay?" Xin called to me while escorting a patient to a bed.

"Yeah!" I called; there was no reason for him to know I was about ready to collapse. He had faith in me, and I couldn't let him down.

I went on like this for another half hour, and then I got the best news of my life.

"Look, we're done…" Lee whispered as if afraid that if he spoke the words aloud, people would flood in again.

I franticly glanced around. It was true; all of the beds were empty. "Thank the spirits."

"Is it over?" Lee's eyes were filled with emotion. "Is it true?"

I nodded. "Probably…"

Xin walked over to us, and unlike me, he didn't look fazed at all.

"Lee." Xin placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's time to go home.

Lee's face grew grim. "Yes, doctor."

Once Lee was gone, Xin turned towards me. "We need to go out and look for injured among the bodies.

My stomach rolled, but I nodded. "Okay."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me from the tent, "I won't force you to do this Katara, if I can move them, I'll bring them to you…"

I wanted to hug the guy. "Thank you."

Xin took a deep breath and walked off. My eyes trailed after him, and I froze. Blood was everywhere; I had never seen something so horrible before.

All over the place, bodies lie on the ground. Some covered in blood, some bent at odd angles.

I bent over and retched, emptying all of my lunch onto the ground.

Where were my friends? How many people was I not able to help? How many people died here?

I clenched my eyes shut and opened them again, forcing myself to look around again. Scorch marks dirtied the ground, buildings, scarred the trees. The survivors all grouped together to one side, hugging each other, talking in hushed tones.

One ran over to me. "Are you the one who healed me?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

He lunged at me, enveloping my in a hug. "Thank you so much… I have a daughter…if I wasn't able to go home tonight..."

I smiled and hugged him back. "You're welcome."

"Katara!" Xin yelled and waved me over. "You must come here!"

I let go of the man and ran immediately to Xin, trying to ignore the sight of the dead. The man he stood over was breathing and conscious, but just barely. He was decorated with the armor of a Fire Nation soldier, and he held a large spear that he clutched to his chest.

"What happened to him?" I asked.

Xin shook his head. "Looks like someone got him with a boulder, crushed his legs."

I nodded.

"I'll be searching some more, I'll call you when I find someone." He ran off without waiting for my reply.

I took a deep breath and knelt down next to the man. "Sir? Can you hear me?"

His eyes silted open. "Go away."

"Well, he's conscious." I grumbled to myself.

"Leave me."

"Sir, I'm going to heal you now."

His golden eyes widened. "No, it is my time to die. Leave me."

"Well…" I pulled a globe of water and placed it on his legs. "If it really is your time, then you'll die regardless of whether I heal you or not. So shut up."

"I said go away." He yelled, but I could see the relief on his face. "I don't need help from a Water Tribe wench like you.

I flinched back, but continued on his leg anyway. Quite a few of his blood vessels had been severed, so I had to fix those first. After several minutes, I was able to move onto his bones. Those took a while, but most of the bone was able to be healed.

"Sir, I don't suggest you walk for a while, you need time to replenish all of that blood."

I moved on to an old Earth Kingdom soldier. Xin was already with him, applying pressure to a bleeding wound.

"Stab wound?" I asked.

He nodded. "Heal him quick, I'm pretty sure they got an organ."

I put the healing glove over his wound and examined it, using his blood to expand my sight. Just as the doctor said, his stomach had been punctured. This time, I was so tired that I had to force myself to heal him to the best of my ability. I wanted to fall asleep for a week and forget all of this ever happened. I wanted to go back in time and catch the army early so they would have no chance of injuring and killing so many.

Numbly, I finished with the old soldier and ran to where Xin was knelt over another man. The boy looked young, maybe around my age. He was lying on his back, so I wasn't able to see the damage.

"Is he alive?" I asked, trying to sound detached.

"Well… He's breathing…" Xin muttered.

With one movement, Xin carefully placed his arms around the boy's middle, and rolled him over carefully, supporting his neck.

Recognition hit me with the force of a train.

"Hanako?" I shrieked and immediately collapsed to his side.

He didn't look good. His face was ashen white, his breath coning in by short gasps. The large gash on his forehead was slowly leaking blood, which told me something was very wrong. Usually, head wounds gushed blood, but his didn't.

I placed my two fingers at the pulse of his neck and almost cried when I found a heartbeat.

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"Probably was surrounded… I can't tell."

I stroked the side of his dirt covered face. "Can you hear me?"

"Katara?" he mumbled weakly, his eyes still closed. With shaky movements, he tried to force himself up.

I caught him and cradled him to my chest. "Yes?"

He let off a horrible sounding cough; blood appeared on my blue tunic in specks. "I'm glad you're here."

Tears prickled at the back of my eyes. "Let me take a look at you."

He chuckled, a bead of blood forming on the corner of his mouth. "I think I messed up."

I laid him flat on his back and listened to his heart beat. It was slow, quiet. "Its okay, we'll get you fixed up."

"Good."

"Where do you hurt?" I brushed the side of his face again.

"My chest." He took a deep breath and cringed.

Xin knelt beside me. "He's the last."

I nodded and pulled out healing water.

"This will be a great story to tell my kids one day…" his words were slightly slurred.

I smiled weakly. "Yes, it will. You are a hero."

I placed the glove on his chest and it glowed weakly. My eyebrows furrowed… Something was wrong. Usually the water would be so bright it was almost blinding.

"Xin?" I pulled him roughly to a crouch. "What's wrong?"

He knocked my hands out of the way and started probing Hanako's chest. "Can you take a deep breath for me?"

Hanako nodded, but his frown deepened as he took a shallow breath and then broke into another fit of coughs.

"Katara…" His eyes searched for me. "I can't feel my leg…"

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Xin asked and turned Hanako's head to the side, checking his head wound.

"I don't…remember." Hanako frowned, a dribble of blood fell from his nose.

"Did they hit you in the head?"

"I don't think so…" he frowned when his slur became noticed by himself.

"Follow my finger." Xin waved his hand in front on Hanako's face like a modern doctor, but Hanako's eyes refused to follow them.

"Katara… I've seen this before. It's a brain injury. He will die from this, but maybe you could do something." He didn't look at me; he barely moved his lips in fear Hanako would realize what he was talking about.

My heart shot up into my throat.

"You need to try, Katara."

"What's wrong?" Hanako asked.

"You were hit in the head." Xin was rigid, apathetic. "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

He closed his eyes and nodded, his face growing slack, his body limp, unconscious.

"No…" I breathed. "I didn't read anything about brain injuries…"

My mind completely shut down. I didn't think anything, didn't feel anything. The only thing that registered in my brain was that Hanako was going to die… And it would all be my fault.

"I can't - I don't know how…" I stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Katara."

He slapped me hard across the face, but I didn't even feel it.

"What if I can't - I don't…I didn't read about brain injuries, I didn't have time." Tears leaked down my face, falling to the ground like little bombs.

"Katara!" he yelled, his face finally showing emotion. "You must try!"

I hiccupped and continued crying. "I can't!"

"Your friend needs you!"

I opened my eyes, the world around me a blurry, bloody mess. "But-"

He grabbed my hand and roughly yanked it from me, placing it on Hanako. "Feel that!"

I nodded mutely, tears streaming from my eyes.

"That is life. He's still here. Don't let him die." I could hear tears in his voice.

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Can you do this? Can you try?"

I nodded.

He shook his head and grabbed my face with both of his hands. My face was inches from his, our eyes locked. "Can you try?"

"Yes!" I yelled.

"Now, work quickly, he doesn't have much time." He placed my hands back on Hanako.

I could feel his heart below my hands; feel the blood in his body. I could feel the broken bones, the punctured lung filling up with blood. I needed to stop it.

With shaky hands, I forced myself to delve into his body, to be one with him. I was his blood, and when I commanded his blood to stop, it did. With one twitch of my finger, the blood stopped leaking into his lung, and with one easy movement, I moved the blood from it all together. His chest immediately began to glow from within, only a dull light showing from under his skin.

I swayed from exhaustion, but I couldn't faint, I couldn't stop.

My hands automatically moved to his head and healed the wound, leaving not a trace of the gash behind.

I took a deep breath and placed two glowing hands on either side of his head.

Through my bending, I could see it…I could see what was wrong with him. But I knew already that I wouldn't be able to fix it.

"Xin…" I whispered, afraid to speak aloud.

"You can do it…" he muttered back.

"There's blood flowing into his skull…his brain is swollen… I can't do it."

I closed my eyes and searched further in his head. The only thing I could think to do was to stop the blood flow to certain parts of his brain, but that would surely kill him.

"Katara… Do what you can." He sounded broken, his voice dead.

"Help me, Xin."

"There is no remedy for this… I can't."

"No…" I muttered. There was no was there was nothing I could do…there had to be something.

I continued searching through his head, I wouldn't give up. But at the same time, in the back of my mind I knew I was running out of time. I had to do it quick before it was too late.

Suddenly, it was as if the lights turned off, someone hit power on the tv and blackness as all that was left. I could no longer search through his head; I could no longer use his blood as a second sense. It was like I was blind. His body gave me nothing.

My heart went into hyper drive.

"Xin?" My eyes snapped open. "Xin! What happened?!"

"What is it?" he placed his hands on his head as if he could see what I was seeing.

"It stopped!" I screamed.

Xin's eyes widened and he franticly felt for a pulse.

After a few endless seconds, Xin told me what I already knew. "Katara… He's gone."

"No." I pushed Xin out of the way and put a glowing orb of water on his chest, right above his heart, but just as the water touched his skin, the water stopped glowing. "No…"

"Katara." He touched my arm, but I knocked him away.

I tried again and again, but nothing happened.

I wiped the blood off of his mouth and placed my lips on his. With one blow, his chest rose and I punped his chest. Again and again I did this, but every time I bent down to check for breath, there was no change. He was dead. Nothing would change that.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. My perfect little world was falling apart, and there was nothing I could do about it. I could do nothing but cry.

"Katara." He tried to touch me again, but I knocked him away.

"Don't touch me." I cried my voice cracking.

"Katara!" this time it was another's… Sokka's

I didn't even look up.

"There you are!"

Aang was next. "We couldn't find you, but look! We-"

"Oh Agni…" Zuko muttered.

"Hey, is that Hanako?" Sokka asked, his voice full of none of its usual mirth when mentioning that name.

A warm hand was placed on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

My mind registered it as being Zuko's voice.

I didn't move, I couldn't…if I moved then it would all be true. Hanako would be dead and there would be nothing I could do about it.

"Katara." The hand squeezed gently on my arm.

I screamed with all of my broken heart. I screamed so loud that the town stilled, everyone pausing and looking at the girl above the body. The empty shell. I screamed for my friend, for the war… For all of the men and woman that have died from the war, a bloody massacre that I had hardly been taking seriously. It was like I was a spectator in the world… Until now. Now, it was all too real. My voice cracked, shattered from the scream. A rasp was all that was left.

I groped blindly for the hand on my shoulder and turned to hug a strong set of legs. I vaguely remembered being picked up and carried somewhere.

The air smelled of Appa and then I was being set down on a leather sadly. I made a gurgling sound as the arms began to pull away and only after a second of hesitation, they returned.

Finally, exhaustion took over, and I collapsed into the arms… My vision fading, only the scent of dirt, sweat, and forest kept me company throughout my dream.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o