Here's chapter 3 of part 2. This will make more sense once you've finished this chapter but they are entirely to young at this point and haven't developed enough of a bond for that so don't get your hopes up.

Part 2 - Healing Iroh - Chapter 3/4

Zuko scrambled up to one knee grabbing her before she hit the plank wood floor. He supported her sagging weight over his bent leg and cradled her head in the crook of his elbow.

"Katara?" Zuko gently shook the waterbender cradled in his arms.

"Katara?" he called a little louder but couldn't rouse her.

Paranoia compelled him to check her breathing and pulse, both were normal. What now? How in Agni's did he end up with not one but two unconscious people on his hands? He looked over at Iroh, his uncle was still comatose but the burnt ruin of his chest was now smooth unblemished skin, his breathing was deep and measured, some color had even returned to his face. Zuko would still need to bandage him but he had more pressing issues on his hands at the moment.

He looked down at her in his arms, he had noticed but hadn't really paid attention to the dark purplish skins that ringed her eyes like bruises. He had seen her hands tremor and her body sway while she worked. Is that what she meant by not having enough? It quickly started falling into place, she was already worn out when she got here, so why would she work herself past the point of exhaustion? What if he were someone else who wouldn't have honored their promise or worse, would have been like those pirates? It irritated him and for no real reason made him irate.

"Katara!" Zuko called more forcefully trying to shake her awake. Her long eyelashes fluttered parting to reveal deep blue eyes.

As she came to, Katara found golden eyes looking down at her in an irritated concern. A few moments passed, while her brain tried to reorient itself. She was so tired but finally warm, she looked around to find Zuko's arms wrapped around her again. She wanted to be upset and make a fuss but she couldn't muster enough energy to even be annoyed

'Wait, again? - Right, like under the tree.' she reminded herself, 'You're safe, he promised, remember?'

Sleep called to her, she let herself sink into the warmth of the firebender as her eyes began to close until she remembered she was here to heal Iroh and she jolted.

"I have to finish." what was meant to be a fierce declaration came out only as a soft murmur.

She pushed against him, struggling to sit up. The pail of water next to them sloshed gently, moved by an unseen force. Zuko pulled her back down with an iron grip, pinning her against him. She looked up at him, eyes unfocused and confused.

"I have to finish, I need to help." Katara pled weakly.

"Why?", he asked her angrily, "Why are you trying to help us?"

"He needs help like Tui and La needed help." she explained softly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She writhed in his grip, "I need to finish!" she continued to plead.

"Katara, no." his voice held that regal commanding tone but with an edge of worry, it startled her into stillness.

"You passed out from exhaustion, I won't allow you to continue." he said with finality.

Even in an exhausted stupor, those words managed to piss her off. They lit a fire in her that beat back the exhaustion weighing on her bones.

"I am not one of your subjects, you will not command me. Now let me go." she hissed at him through gritted teeth.

Katara pressed her hands against Zuko's chest and shoved him as hard as she could but she underestimated how much healing had taken from her. Even with all the force she could muster, he barely moved. She tried to bend the remaining water from the pail but Zuko was faster.

From his down on one knee position, he collapsed his back leg, dropping his weight as he fell into a sitting position. The temporary loss of support took Katara by surprise breaking her form. The water she called out to splashed back into the pail. Zuko used her surprise to his advantage, with the arm that still cradled her, he pulled her body tightly against him pinning her left arm between them. With his free hand, he grabbed her left wrist in an iron grip and pinned her palm against his chest. When she struggled against him he pulled her tighter immobilizing her.

"STOP!" he snarled at her, she froze.

"You can't do any more for him, you have nothing left. You're so exhausted you fainted, you can't even defend yourself against me. What were you thinking? How could you bet your safety on a promise I made months ago after I kidnapped you? What if I wasn't so honorable?" he lectured her bitterly.

She could feel his anger burning him up where her hand pressed against his chest, everywhere they touched chased the chill from her skin. He was right, she had nothing left, she had given too much and now she was once again trapped in his embrace. What did he expect her to do? Leave Iroh injured in the middle of nowhere.

"I couldn't just leave him like that." she argued, the adrenaline was fading fast exhaustion was pooling back into her limbs.

"Why not? We're not exactly your allies here Katara." he pressed her for answers.

"In the Northern Water Tribe, Iroh tried to defend Tui, that meant something. At least to me it did." she explained, "I'm a healer, how can I just sit by when I could do something for him."

"That doesn't make what you did any less stupid, you can't even stand on your own two feet, I could do whatever I wanted to you and you wouldn't be able to fight back."

"You promised-"

"And if I didn't honor that promise?" he cut her off angrily, "What then?"

Those golden in his eyes burned with anger but it was the worry that still surprised her. When did her enemy start to worry? La, when did she start to blur the line and care if they lived or died? Being at the mercy of this particular firebender should terrify her, instead, somehow, she trusted that she would be fine.

"For Tui's sake, it's you Zuko," she exasperated, "one of the few reliable things in this mess is your commitment to your honor."

She looked away from him, "I wouldn't have come if it weren't safe, if you weren't you." she confessed quietly.

At her own words, she gave in to the fatigue and finally let her guard drop. Zuko could feel the tension leave her body as she gave up the fight and let go. She was once again vulnerable and once again she entrusted herself to him. He wanted to scream at her 'Why?' and demand that she explain herself but that would have to wait. He needed to care for his uncle and she needed to recover.

"You're not going to be able to leave on your own tonight, you need to rest. Let me get you to the bedroll."

He released the hand he had pinned against his chest and helped her sit up. Putting one arm under her torso he scooped under her knees with the other. With some maneuvering, he got his feet beneath him and stood holding her bridal style. Katara jolted by the lift leaned into him grabbing a handful of his tunic.

"I've got you." the murmured words slipped from his lips before he knew what he said.

He looked down at her to catch her expression but her head leaned against his shoulder hiding her face.

He took her the few steps to his bedroll and gently laid her on it. When he moved to stand he felt a tug on his clothes where Katara held on, he looked at her confused.

"Thank you." she told him gently.

He searched her face and as much as he wanted to, he could find no insincerity in her expression. He gave her another silent nod and she released him.

Katara watched Zuko walk back to Iroh with the cleaned bandages, the loss of his warmth allowed a chill to settle over her. Her limbs felt heavy and every movement took a massive amount of effort. She really was going to have to stay the night. Accepting her circumstances, Katara toe heeled off her boots and rolled on her side. As the night deepened it felt like the temperature had continued to fall, even the roaring fireplace did little to beat back the cold. She covered with a nearby blanket, wrapping her arms around herself she suppressed a shiver and observed Zuko bandage his uncle.

He could feel her eyes on him as he worked his way down Iroh's rib cage. Zuko continued to lay the bandages in neat, overlapping lines exactly the way the ship medic taught him nearly four years ago. His uncle was no longer pale and his skin was warm to the touch. Whatever Katara had managed to heal before passing out, had helped his uncle by leaps and bounds. Still, they would need to take it easy on their travels for at least the next week or so to allow his ribs to mend. He made a mental note to check the village remains for better bedding. Zuko secured the last row of bandages and laid his uncle back on the cot. He placed Iroh's tunic over his chest deciding that the heavier blankets in the already warm room would be too much. He could probably use them as a makeshift bedroll since his was already occupied. He turned and as expected he found a pair of cerulean eyes looking back at him.

"You should be sleeping." he told her.

Katara shivering rubbed her arms trying to generate some kind of warmth, "I'm trying, it's just a little cold. You should probably cover him." she gestured with her chin toward Iroh.

Zuko looked at her puzzled, "This room isn't cold."

"Not all of us can generate enough heat to boil water." she deadpanned.

"I'm not using my bending right now. It's not cold in here." he stated to her.

Katara who wore an expression that wavered between confusion and worry continued to shiver in the warm room. Zuko strode over to her, kneeling at the edge of the bedroll he moved to touch her; she didn't flinch. He managed to both appreciate and loathed the idea that she no longer feared him. He gently placed the back of his hand against her cheek, her skin felt like ice beneath his touch.

"You're freezing." Zuko's concern was growing, "I'm going to move you closer to the fire."

She only managed to nod while more shivers wracked her body. He grabbed the edges of the bedroll and dragged it as close to the fire as he could safely get her. Grabbing another blanket he laid it over her and took a seat near her head facing the fire.

He waited silently for the heat to warm her but as the minutes ticked by her shivering continued. A half an hour later there was no change. He again pressed the back of his hand to her cheek, her skin was still frigid, her face was paling and her breathing had become slow and shallow. His chest tightened, he knew those signs and they weren't good.

Before he had ventured into the Northern Water Tribe, Uncle had warned him to watch himself for certain symptoms - pale skin, inability to get warm, confusion, and shallow breathing - they were a sign that the ice had laid what was often a deadly claim on him.

Suddenly her words echoed back at him in his head.

'That promise you made, at the riverbank? Do you still mean it?'

Agni, he needed to get her warm, right now. He had an idea but she wasn't going to like it.

"Katara," he shook her gently pulling her from whatever faraway place her mind had wandered, "I think when you pushed yourself, you exhausted your bending and something is making you freeze. I need to get you warm right now, you're starting to get so cold I'm afraid it might kill you."

His serious and somber tone got her attention.

"Claim of the ice?" the question slipped unevenly from her chattering teeth.

He nodded. For the first time that night, Katara felt afraid.

All children of the Southern Water Tribe had been taught from an early age to not wander the tundra alone for fear of being claimed by the ice. The first signs of claim were always the same, unending shivering, exhaustion, and an unbearable cold that couldn't be warmed. If someone who had been claimed did not return to the village quickly enough they risked being robbed of their mind, forever lost as they fruitlessly tried to find their way back home. Those that eventually gave into the claim would cease to shiver and tear away the warmth of their skins and furs, succumbing to ice's promised slumber.

Anyone who did manage to make it back was brought before a stoked fire and covered in furs to chase back the chill of a claim. They had exhausted these options but there was another and it seemed to be the only one they had left.

He could tell by her avoidant gaze that she knew what had to happen but couldn't make himself proceed without asking.

"Katara," he called her name as gently as he could, "I need you to give me permission to touch you."

She looked at him and nodded.

"I need you to say it." he gripped a crumpled corner of his tunic, his nails digging half-moons into his palms but he refused to look away from her blue-eyed gaze.

A few moments passed by while Katara weighed what was being asked of her. She was scared and there wasn't much else that could be done. 'I might be scared but I am safe, I might be scared but I am safe, I might be scared-' she looped the words endlessly in her head until she could will herself to speak.

"I give you permission to touch me." her words were quiet but steadfast.

Zuko immediately stood up and walked out of her view. He removed his boots and loosened his sash. Katara heard the muted sound of cloth hitting the floor when he shed his tunic. Sometimes, in order to repudiate the claim of the ice, you had to allow yourself to be claimed by another.

Now, you get what I meant by my note, this story will maintain it's T rating for a while, I'll bump it up to M, when the time comes.
In case it wasn't clear, the claim of the ice they are talking about it hypothermia and those can be real symptoms.
As always, hope you enjoyed it, review the chapter and let me know what you think, or even what you think might happen next.