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Happy Birthday Joe

Hey Zutarians! Do you know what Yesterday was? JOE JONAS'S BIRTHDAY!!!!! He is now NINETEEN YEARS OLD!!!! Hey, if you like Maximum Ride, check out Fang's blog! Yes, it's real. http://maximumride.blogspot.com/

A Broken Bond: Epilouge

EPILOGUE

Zuko and I now have four children named Ursae, Ironn, Kyana and Zara, and live together in the Fire Nation Palace. Sokka and Suki live on Kyoshi Island with their three children Yue, Koda and Merin, where Suki teaches the children of Kyoshi how to be Kyoshi Warriors. Aang and Toph have two children, Ari and Kuni. They live in the Southern Air Temple, training their two airbenders in their bending element. Believe it or not, Haru and Ty Lee were married, and have five children! Tina, Tommy, Terry, Tyla and Tori. They live on Kyoshi Island as well, Ty Lee working with Suki as the leaders of the Kyoshi Warriors, and Haru is giving earthbending lessons.
And we all lived happily ever after.
And we lived happily ever after.

THE END

A Broken Bond Part Eight

A Broken Bond Part Eight

Another Wedding

Zuko
I felt happier then, walking with Katara’s small hand in mine then I had ever felt in my life. When we passed under the gates, we were met by some curious stares and whispers. Katara steered us away from the wedding area, and we stopped in front of a large house (made of ice, of course) and she looked around. “No one is watching us, it’s almost night.” I assured her. She nodded and led us into the house. It was large, and there were several tunnels leading off to other rooms. There was a clatter from up the stairs, and a fuzzy ball of fur landed on my head. I shook it off, and suddenly it flew away. It was a tiny brown flying lemur! “Oh, yeah! I forgot to tell you we found a female lemur. This little guy is Moe. Upstairs is Mia— she’s the mother— Momo, Mimi, Murray and Muzzy.” The tiny brown lemur screeched and nestled itself in her wavy brown locks. She smiled and stroked his fur. “You really like ‘M’ names, huh?” She laughed and nodded. “Come on, we have one more guest room in the back.” She led me down a tunnel and we came out in a hallway. There were three doors leading off, I presumed into rooms. “These two are taken by Toph and Aang. I hope you don’t mind.” I shrugged. “Just like the Western Air Temple, huh?” She looked down. “There is a difference. I’m not yelling at you anymore.” I smiled. “That is definitely a good difference.”

Katara
When the others got home that night, I was hiding. Long ago, I had carved out a little secret room in my wall, and that was where I was taking refuge. I knew Aang or Sokka would come up and find me there, but I wanted to put off that meeting for as long as possible. I fell asleep on my favorite blanket that my mother had given me when I was a baby. I was awoken by the sound of moving ice. Aang was standing in the secret doorway to my little room, his eyes sad. “Hi, Katara. Are you ok?” I buried my head in my pillow, not speaking. I felt him sit down beside me. “Do you want to talk about it?” I sighed and looked up. “There’s nothing to talk about, Aang. I realize now that the whole thing was a big mistake. I never really loved him, and now we’re both paying the price.” Aang gently took my hand. “Katara, you’re my best friend. You’ve always been my best friend. When we were younger, I thought that I loved you as more then a friend or a sister. But then I realized: that wasn’t what we wanted. Either of us. I realized that I did love you; as a sister and my best friend. I think that when we rush into anything, it may be a mistake.” I dropped my head to the blanket again. “Zuko’s in the downstairs guest room.” I said, my voice muffled. Aang sighed. “Yeah, we know.” Then he was gone and I was alone.

Zuko
I was staring at the ceiling, watching an icicle slowly melt as I blew small flame balls at it. Suddenly there were footsteps, and a girl with red-brown hair stuck her head in. I recognized her as Suki, the girl we had saved from the Boiling Rock. “Zuko?!” She cried, her eyes wide. I waved a hand. “Hey, Suki.” She came in and looked down at me. I was lying on the bed, hands crossed behind my head as a pillow. I saw her eyes glued to my face. “But…” She stammered, confused. “You’re scar is gone.” I nodded. “Katara is a miracle worker, you know. And she can heal a lot more then scars.” Suki darted out, and I rested my arm over my face. Soon there would be five people in the room. “Zuko! What are you doing in my house?” Sokka demanded. I let out a breath and sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. “You’re sister invited me. I was watching the ceremony, and then I got chased off by the guards. I fell off the wall.” Everyone was staring at my face. Aang and Suki had seen it, and Toph knew about it. But Sokka and Hakoda were shocked. “As I said, Katara is a miracle worker.” Sokka scratched his head. “Wait, you fell off a wall?” I shrugged. “Yes, the wall that surrounds the village.” Sokka made a strangled sound, and Suki gasped. “You fell off the wall?! That’s a fifty foot drop at least! You shouldn’t be alive!” She exclaimed. “Much less strutting around my house like a red peacock.” Sokka added. Aang made a coughing noise, and I thought he was muffling a laugh. “How?” Suki asked in wonder. “Katara.” I said simply. They all looked at each other knowingly. “So that’s why she ran off.” Hakoda concluded. “But why didn’t she come back?” Sokka looked like he had a headache from all the thinking. I looked away. “Because I don’t love Kenai.” Katara appeared at the door and walked in, her white wedding dress trailing behind her, her head high despite her tear stained cheeks. She stood in front of me and offered her hand. I took it, and we stood facing each other. “I love another.” She said softly. I put my arm around her waist, and we faced her family. They were looking on with varying expressions. Hakoda just stared at me with a disbelieving look. Sokka had already made as choking sound and now had the expression to match. Suki was smiling slightly. I thought I saw Toph take something out of Sokka’s pocket- coins?- and whisper, “I told you so, Snoozles.” Aang looked kind of sad, but he was smiling. “I suppose we’ll have to plan another wedding?” Suki asked, but she sounded delighted. “And this time we don’t have to use all blue. We can add in red, and some gold, maybe some black…….” She was already counting off arrangements to be made, ticking off fingers. When she ran out of fingers she began counting on Sokka’s. “This will be a wedding to remember.” Toph said, laughing.

One year later…

Katara
“Does my sister have to come?” Zuko complained, trying to distract Suki long enough to look around her and get a peek at his bride. The warrior spun him back around, shaking her finger at him. “You’re not following the rules. You can’t see her until the wedding!” I laughed. “Don’t push her, Zuko.” I called from the back of the room. “You know how she can get.” Suki laughed and gave her slightly round stomach a gentle pat. “Sokka has been avoiding me all week. It’s only been three months and he’s already afraid of me.” We laughed, and Zuko scowled. “Go get Aang and Sokka to help you get ready.” Suki scolded, and Zuko disappeared, still wearing his parka. Suki shut the door and came back to me. I admit, I felt beautiful. I was wearing the same dress, but we had made some adjustments. It now had a slit up the side from where it had ripped on my run to save Zuko, with little shells embroidered up the hem, and sleeves had been added. I thought looked like Yue’s spirit dress. My hair had grown even longer, and now it hung loose and wavy past my waist. Gran-Gran began rummaging around in a bag, and Toph grinned. “I can’t actually see what you look like, Katara, but you must look pretty hot. You should have heard the way that delivery boy’s heart sped up when he caught a peek at you.” I blushed. Suki and Toph were my bridesmaids, and they both looked beautiful. Gran-Gran had helped us all get ready, with no fighting between her and Suki this time. Toph’s sleek black hair was loose, and the light brushing of blue makeup combined with her form-fitting pale blue dress made her look absolutely beautiful. I don’t think she knew it, but Aang’s eyes had gone wide as he gawked at her when he looked in. Then Gran-Gran shooed him away. Suki was wearing a loose pale blue dress belted around her waist. She was only three months, but her stomach was already swelling a bit. Her hair had grown long, and she was wearing it loose as well. She was also dusted with a light powder of makeup. I was the only one not wearing it, and I had refused the brilliant blue eye shadow Gran-Gran had pulled out. I wanted this to be special. And besides, Zuko didn’t like it when I wore a lot of makeup, or really any at all. Gran-Gran fussed over our hair some more, then let it be. Then there was a light tap on the door. “As the Bride’s father, I have permission to come in.” a voice said. Gran-Gran opened the door, and Dad came in. He smiled at me. “You look even more beautiful then last time.” I laughed and hugged him. “Probably because I know what I’m doing this time.” He smiled. “I have a present from the groom. He apparently wasn’t allowed in, so he asked me to give this to you.” He took my hands and put them over my eyes. Then I felt a light pressure on my head. When I was allowed to open my eyes, I looked in the mirror and gasped. A beautifully made crown rested on my head. It was made of pure, clear crystal, carved into the shape of an elegant crown. It had gently sloping curves and a spire at the top, and it was set with tiny white jewels- diamonds?- and I felt my heart swell with happiness. I was almost afraid it would burst. “It’s beautiful.” I whispered. Dad smiled and stroked my cheek. “You grew up so fast. Last time I looked, you were a serious teenager forced to grow up too fast and floundering a bit in a grown up world. And now you’re a strong, beautiful woman. I’m so proud of you.” I ran into his arms, burying my face in his chest. “Thank you Dad.”

Zuko
I refused to let them cut my hair. It was albeit a bit unruly, but I liked it that way. And more importantly so did Katara. So Sokka and Aang finally gave up. Sokka and Aang were the best men. (Is it allowed to have two?) Suki was Katara’s maid of honor, and Toph was the flower girl, to her horror. But Katara had begged her, and she finally gave in. Besides, Katara had been the flower girl at Suki and Sokka’s wedding: now it was Toph’s turn. I looked at myself in the mirror and felt a thrill go through me; this was the day every prince dreamed of. Uncle had come all the way down, and Haru, Teo and The Duke were there. It was the day I was married to the woman I loved. I had waited twenty-one years for this. I heard a sound at the door, and I turned, the edge of my cape swishing the floor. I was dressed in a Fire Nation robe, one that had in all reality come out of my closet back home. I hadn’t wanted to get too fancy, but Katara had insisted I wear something that looked formal. Uncle was standing in the doorway, eyes crinkling as he smiled. “My nephew, love has made you blossom like a flower.” He said, and we embraced each other. We smiled at each other, and I realized there were tears in his eyes. “Uncle, what’s wrong?” I asked, concerned. He shook his head. “A smile used to be a rare gift, one you gave only so often. But now, you laugh and smile and shine like the sun itself.” I let myself disappear into his embrace. There was a hard pounding on the door, and Uncle released me, my hair even more disheveled then it had been. “We’re starting soon, Z-man.” Sokka said as the door opened, and I scowled. “I thought I told you that name was off limits, and that everyone was absolutely forbidden to call me that.” I said flatly. Sokka snorted. “Whatever you say, fire butt.” I scowled even deeper, sending Sokka and Uncle into whoops of laughter.

Katara
My breath was coming in short gasps, and I could feel the pounding of my heart roaring in my ears. Dad took my arm, and we stepped out into the brilliant sunlight. I was temporarily blinded, and when I opened my eyes I felt my heart swell, and the happiness finally overflowed. I felt tears begin to fall as I took in every face there. But unlike the last time, they were tears of joy, and when my eyes locked with Zuko’s I almost lost it and flung myself into his arms, sobbing. I took a deep breath and began my slow walk down the isle. I smiled at every face I saw, some familiar from my previous failed wedding and others new additions. When my father let go of my arm, I looked into Zuko’s eyes and felt as if I was spinning down the ice chutes again, flying so fast I was sure I was going to fall to pieces. “I do.” He said, and he took hold of my hand to steady me. “Katara, do you take Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation to be your husband?” I smiled, gazing into his eyes and letting them calm me. “I do.” I said with perfect certainty. Zuko pulled me into his arms and kissed me, and we were officially married.

A Broken Bond Part Seven

A Broken Bond Part Seven

Catch that Bride!

Katara
The next morning I set off for home. Aang and Toph flew me there on Appa, and I found my eyes searching the forest for Zuko. But then the land was gone and we were flying over the open ocean. When we landed, a cheer went up through the village. Kenai ran to me and swept me up in his arms, kissing my forehead. I fought the tears at the memory of a different pair of lips on my head; a pale, gentle pair that belonged to my once mortal enemy. “The Wedding will proceed tomorrow!” He announced to the villagers, and they all cheered. I tried to smile at them, but it was an empty smile. I told them I was tired from the trip, and I went to bed.
I cried myself to sleep that night.

Zuko
I found her canoe, right where she had stashed it in the cliffs. I decided I might go say hello to her brother, maybe go to the party after the wedding. I knew I just wanted to see her face again, but I was making up excuses for myself. I picked up the paddle and grimaced. It was going to be a long trip.

Katara
Morning came all too soon. Suki and Gran-Gran didn’t try to force me into their dresses this time, and I dressed alone. I pulled my mother’s dress on over my head, feeling the familiarity of it sooth my troubled soul for the moment at least. “Katara? Are you almost ready?” Suki poked her head in and smiled. “You look beautiful.” She said. I smiled at my sister-in-law, trying not to show that I was fighting back tears. I turned to the mirror and began to tie my hair up into a bun. But something stopped me, and I settled for a ponytail. Two strands hung loose, framing my face. And, I hoped, hiding it. My Father came in and took my arm, smiling happily. I smiled back, making it look as convincing as possible. We left the tent, and I felt my heart speed up. I scanned the crowd, praying he wasn’t there to see it.

Zuko
I got into the village, and was amazed. It could almost be called a city it had grown so much, nearly tripled in size. I had a blue cloak on, and I had it pulled down low over my eyes to hide their color. I kind of hid in a doorway, near enough to the wedding area (which was already set up and full of people, with Katara and Kenai standing up at the front) but far enough away that Katara wouldn’t see me.
I hoped.

Katara
“Kenai, do you take Katara to be your bride?” Kenai smiled at me, taking my hand in his. “I do.” He said, his pale grey eyes full of happiness. “Katara, do you take Kenai to be your husband?” I looked around, gazing back into the eyes that looked at me. And endless sea of blue, some light, some dark. Several pairs of light brown, one pair of emerald green. One set of misty green. Suddenly my eyes locked with a pair a color that wasn’t natural to the Water Tribes.
They were a brilliant, dancing color, like liquid gold. I felt my heart tremble, but then the eyes looked down, and the bond was broken. A cloaked figure raced out of a shadowy doorway, bowling over an old man with an armload of fish and scattering them everywhere. But the person ran on, not bothering to help the man pick up his fish. The wind blew his hood off his head, revealing a pale face, shaggy and unkempt black hair and a perfect face. “Zuko!” I breathed. Suddenly, several Water Tribe warriors dashed down from the protecting ice wall and charged after the fleeing boy. “Catch that intruder!” One shouted, and I saw spear and jawbone being lifted. “No!” I cried, but they didn’t hear me. Zuko dodged around them all, disappearing around a corner. “Katara? Do you take Kenai to be your husband?” The preacher was trying to regain order, but all eyes were turned in the direction of the commotion. “There! On the wall!” A voice cried, and all heads whipped around. I saw the cloak flapping, his hair whipping around his face in the wind. Suddenly his foot hit a patch of deadly black ice, slippery as sealskin, and his legs shot out from under him. In mute horror, I watched as he staggered before plummeting over the edge and disappearing from view.

Zuko
I don’t know why I ran. But I did, and soon enough, there were a bunch of guards on my tail. I ran to the wall, thinking there might be a servant’s passage to get out, or something to give me an escape route. There was nothing.
I ran onto the wall, and suddenly my foot slipped out from under me. ‘Bloody black ice.’ I thought as I tried to get my balance, but my arms wind-milled helplessly as I lost the fight with gravity and fell over the edge. I knew that the wall was at least fifty feet high; a fall nearly impossible to survive even if you weren’t falling headfirst.
So sad for me, I was falling headfirst.
I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, letting my mind wander to things I had forbidden it to. Mostly her. Her face, her scent, her smile, her touch, her voice, her laugh, even her tears. Then I hit the ice with crippling impact and lay there gasping for breath and begging unconsciousness to take me.

Katara
I forgot everything else and ran.
I don’t know what I thought I could do, but I couldn’t let him be found by guards or leopard seals or otter penguins. I had to find him, and I had to save him. “Katara! Come back!” Kenai called, but I just ran on. My ornamental slippers slowed me down, and I flung my shoes, shawl and sash in a chair. My now loose and free-flowing hair streamed as I raced for the wall. Guards already stood above, looking down and talking in loud and concerned voices. I bent the ice of the wall, creating a hole big enough for me to run through without hindrance. I’d fix it later. I saw his body, lying broken and still on the ice, and felt my heart crumble. I fell to my knees beside him, ignoring the stinging of the ice on my bare shins and feet. “No, Zuko, no!” I whispered, frantically looked for a pulse, praying to Yue and any other spirit who might care about me that he was ok. He was barely breathing, and it was slow and agonized. “No, Zuko, don’t die!” I heard feet pounding after me, but they didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Suddenly his eyes flickered open, and he looked at me. He moaned softly, crossing his arms across his chest, over the old scar from his battle with Azula. Joy pulsed through me. “Zuko! You’re alright!” I cried, resisting the urge to fling my arms around him. “Katara! What on earth are you doing? Are you crazy?!” Kenai appeared at my side, his pale grey eyes dark with disapproval. “Come on. He’s not worth it, he’ll be dead soon.” Rage welled up in me as he hauled me to my feet and began to pull me away. “If you think he’s not worth it, then you don’t know me.” I said softly. He stopped. “What? Of course I know you. And I know you won’t waste your time trying to save the un-savable. Just give up on him.” I felt the rage explode suddenly, and I wrenched my hand from his grasp. “No, Kenai, you don’t know me! If I had given up on people, nothing would be the way it is! If I had given up on Aang, the world would belong to Firelord Ozai right now! If we had given up on Toph, there would be no metal bender in the world! If I had given up on the little Fire Nation village on the river, then they would still be sick and filthy, living like animals. If I had given up on him, Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation, he would be nothing but a hollow shell in his palace.” I said, jerking my finger at the motionless figure behind us. “I don’t give up on people, Kenai. Apparently there is not going to be a wedding for me. At least not with you.” I said. He flinched back as if I had struck him, his grey eyes angry. “Katara, please. Is this worth giving up everything we’ve worked for?” I reached up and unclasped the lowest necklace on my neck. “I believe this is yours.” I held it out, the carving of a wave catching the fading sunlight and sending ripples of blue light across our faces. “I won’t take it.” He said. I closed my eyes and dropped the necklace on the ice with a hollow thud. I turned on my heel and knelt beside Zuko, hearing as the large footsteps of Kenai faded into the distance as he returned to tell everyone that his bride had run away.

Zuko
I felt the pain. That was the only thing in my mind, was the pain. Then I heard a voice. “No, Zuko, no!” It was an Angel spirit’s voice, calling out to me. But why did the spirit sound so sad? Angel spirits weren’t supposed to be sad. I opened my eyes unwillingly to ask why she sounded sad and regretted it immediately. I was most certainly not dead, the pain told me that much. But Katara was there, tears streaming down her face and anger in her eyes. I noticed that one of her necklaces was gone. Then there was a bright blue glow around me, and I closed my eyes, letting the warmth pull me in. Didn’t people say you got warm before you died? The pain was lessening, and I was beginning to spiral down into nothingness. I concluded that I was dying. But why was Katara still there? My brain wasn’t working right, and I wondered if she had jumped off the wall after me. I wondered if this was not Katara, but her mother, come to guide me through the Spirit World. But then there was something warm and wet on my chest, and I opened my eyes. The pain was mostly gone, reduced to a dull ache. The wet thing was Katara’s cheek, streaked with tears. She was sobbing, and I noticed that she was barefoot. Her feet were turning a nasty shade of blue. “Katara, where are your shoes?” I asked, and her head shot up as if I had pinched her. “Zuko?” She asked, and her voice was choked with tears. “I’m here. What’s wrong?” She suddenly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably into her hands. I took her in my arms and stroked her hair, trying to calm her. “Shh. It’s alright. Just tell me what happened.” She looked up at me, her face stained with tears. “I’m not getting married, Zuko.” She said, and I realized why her neck seemed bare. “I’m sorry I’ve caused so much trouble.” I said sadly. She buried her head in my chest and started crying even harder. “You’re worth it. That’s the problem!” She laughed as she said it, but there was a tone of sadness in it. And she was still crying, and laughing at the same time. Strange effect, I’ll tell you. I just wrapped my arms around her and let her cry.

Katara
Nothing had ever sounded as good as his voice. I just sat there sobbing like an idiot, letting him stroke my hair and shush me. If I had had half my mind, I would have been either embarrassed or angry. But nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but me and him. When my sobs subsided, I looked up into his face. My neck felt cold and bare, and I searched for the chain that held my necklace from Zuko. I realized in a panic it wasn’t there. “My necklace you gave me is gone!” I cried, but he was smiling. “No it isn’t.” He reached into his shirt and pulled out two chains. One red and black, one white and blue. “This is yours.” He took off the red one and gently slipped it over my head. His hand stroked my cheek, gently wiping the tears away. His hand moved down my cheek to my chin and he tilted my head up. “Katara, do you regret burning that amulet as much as I do?” I nodded, feeling my heart skip at his touch. Then suddenly his eyes were right in front of mine, his cool lips pressed against mine. I stiffened at first, but then melted into his arms, deepening the kiss and returning it. When he let go of me, he was smiling, his golden eyes sparkling. “Well, I suppose its good you didn’t say ‘I do.’” He said, and I laughed weakly. “Come on, it’s time we get back.” We stood and walked back, hand in hand, to my home.

A Broken Bond Part Six

A Broken Bond Part Six

The Bond Breaks

Zuko
The climb up that stupid mountain just never got easier. When I thought we were finally near the top, it just turned out that there were more cliffs to scale. As of now I hate cliffs. When I hauled Katara up a particularly high and steep cliff, I was ready to drop down and sleep. “There it is!” She cried breathlessly, and I turned around. I had seen the temple before, but this time it seemed somewhat sinister. There was a small orange and yellow figure waving from a window in the entrance hall, and I recognized the bald head of the head monk, none other then Aang. Katara and I both started up the last hill, and I watched as she ran to the entrance and flung her arms around the little airbender. I felt a twinge of jealousy. Then a small black-haired teenager, maybe fifteen, came out of the door and hugged Katara. They both laughed in a sisterly way. Suddenly her misty green eyes lit up. “Hot Head! You came too!” She flung her arms around me before I could blink. I saw Aang’s eyes widen, and they became glued to the side of my face. “Wha-what happened to…..” He stammered. Katara grinned at him and made a swirly swish of water and sprayed it in his face. He blinked and spluttered. “You healed his scar?” He asked, awestruck. “She’s a miracle worker, I tell you.” I said, and Katara met my eyes. Hers were an endless depth of swirling blue water. “Let’s go inside. There’s a huge Porcupine-boar on the loose around here.” Aang said. Katara and I looked at each other again, and I chuckled. “Yeah, we kind of noticed.” I said sarcastically. Katara frowned and brushed a stray wisp of brown hair off her forehead. We followed Aang and Toph into the temple, closing the door behind us, also closing the door on any idea of turning back.

Katara
Aang’s reaction to the new, improved, scar-less Zuko was pretty funny. As I followed Aang’s light footsteps into the temple, I got the feeling I was being watched. I glanced behind me at Zuko, but he was chatting quietly with Toph, smiling his radiant smile as she made animated gestures. We entered a huge hall, with faded paintings of Air Nomads decorating the walls. A large, low stone table stretched down the hall, set in simple earthenware for two. “I’ll grab two more plates.” Aang said and disappeared into a side room. Toph sat down on a small mat by one of the places, and Zuko sat down across from her. I sat down next to Zuko, across the table from Aang’s place. When he put the plates in front of us I thought I saw a flicker of jealousy in his eyes as he looked at Zuko. “So, we have fruit pies, moon peaches, cherry-apples, aspara-carrots, etc.” I saw Zuko make a face as Aang’s back was turned, and stifled a laugh. Aang plopped a plate of fruits and vegetables down on the table, and Zuko’s expression made me burst out laughing. “Just eat it, it won’t kill you!” I said. He tentatively took a cherry-apple from the plate and bit into it. He blinked in surprise. “It’s good.” He said, and took another bite. I took a moon peach and a green looking thing I assumed was an aspara-carrot. Zuko took an aspara-carrot also, and bit a large chunk out of it. He blinked and swallowed, and I saw the shiver of revulsion. I almost choked on my moon peach, and Aang and Toph looked at us like we were crazy. After our interesting meal (during which Zuko found he had a liking for Moon Peaches) we started our trek to the top tower. The sun was going down slowly, and Zuko hadn’t spoken since we had eaten. “Are you alright?” I asked quietly, but he didn’t respond. When we got to the tower, it was as if I had jumped back in time. It was just as we had left it, right down to the small flowering plant on the windowsill. (Although it wasn’t so small anymore.) Zuko sat down, and as I watched the sun sent brilliant rays into the window, casting a golden glow over his face. I felt my heart skip as I gazed at him. He looked sad again, as if his face had suddenly aged to his full twenty years. Then the sun was gone, and we were alone in the darkness.

Zuko
I felt as if everything that had happened in the last two days was all for nothing. ‘I’m sorry I never told you.’ I thought, and I felt her move through the darkness and sit down on the bench next to me. I lit a small flame in my hand, and thought I saw tears shining on her cheeks. I reached up and rubbed her cheek, brushing the tears away. She looked the other way, pulling away from my hand. “I’m sorry.” I said softly. She pulled out a small amulet carved from grey coral from her pack. I put my flame to the sticks we had brought with us. Suddenly, lights broke out behind me, and we both whirled around. Shimmering greens, stunning blues, soft yellows, brilliant pinks, swirling purples, dancing oranges, and flaming reds appeared across the sky. “It’s time.”

Katara
I took a breath and held the amulet over the fire. My hand was shaking, and I wondered if I would miss and drop the amulet on the floor by accident. Zuko put his hand over mine, steadying me. I released it, and watched as it landed in the fire. It caught fire suddenly, letting off a burst of shimmering light, momentarily blinding me. When I opened my eyes, the lights were dimming beyond the window, and Zuko was gone. The door was open, and I could hear footsteps descending the stairs. I grabbed my pack and raced after him, but I knew I couldn’t catch up. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the main doors were open, banging against the walls in a huge wind that had whipped up. I raced out, met by buffeting winds and pelting rain, barely able to keep my eyes open. “Zuko! Come back!” I cried, but the words were ripped from my throat and lost in the wind. “Zuko!” My cries lasted long into the night, until Aang came out and made me come back inside.

Zuko
I don’t know why I was running, but I did. I ran out into the night, ignoring the winds and Katara’s calls. I hid myself in our cave and huddled in a ball on Katara’s bench. I felt a small rough thing under my hand, and found the necklace I had given her lying in a heap on the side. I put it on over my other one, both hidden under my tunic, and went to sleep in the howling storm.

A Broken Bond Part Five

A Broken Bond Part Five

Danger in the Dark

Katara
I smelled cooking soup and sat up, blinking my eyes and feeling refreshed. “Good morning Sleeping Beauty.” A deep voice said, and I looked around. Zuko was leaning against the wall behind the fire, his gold eyes dancing in the flickering firelight. “Why do you have to call me that?” Zuko shrugged and crouched down, stirring the soup with a stick. Thunder rumbled outside, and I felt the wetness in the air. “It’s going to rain.” I said, and Zuko nodded. “Yes. And by the looks of it, it’s going to be a nasty one.” I stood up and immediately regretted it. My back and shoulder were stiff and sore, and I had an aching pain in my head as if I had been bashed against the sea shore. Then again, I had. “Katara, you’re a miracle worker, you know that?” I looked over at him, my eyebrow raised. “What makes you say that?” He stood up and stretched his leg, making the thin white scar stand out in the flickering firelight. “Oh, that. I have healed worse injuries then that.” I said, and my eyes moved to his scar subconsciously. His hand moved to it at the same moment, and I looked away. “You used the healing water on Aang back in Ba Sing Se.” He said. It wasn’t a question; it was a statement, as if he already knew I had. I nodded, and he sighed. “But I’ve gotten a lot better since I offered last.” I suggested, and he looked up. There was a shimmer of pain in his eyes that made me want to cry. “Do you really think it might work?” he asked, and for the first time I saw right down to the vulnerable, innocent little boy he used to be. “I don’t know, Zuko.” He looked down. I took the pot off the fire and spooned its contents into two bowls. Thunder rumbled, and I saw Zuko shiver. “What’s wrong? Are you cold?” He shook his head, getting the deep look he got when he knew something I didn’t. “Something’s coming, Katara. We’ve been lucky so far; lucky you found me in time to save me from hypothermia, lucky to escape the squid-shark, lucky not to be crushed by the wave, lucky you could heal my leg. Sooner or later our luck is going to run out.”

Zuko
I saw her shiver when I said that. “Why do you have to be such a pessimist?” I asked, and she gave me a look. “I’m a pessimist? What are you then?” I rolled my eyes and stood up. “Aren’t you going to let me try?” She asked, and I shrugged. “We don’t need any more distractions Katara. We have to get to the temple and break the bond before something worse happens.” My mind flashed to the monster chasing us through the dark forest. I looked out the cave entrance and shivered. The small bushes and tall trees outside looked suspiciously like the ones in my dream. Then I made a decision.
I sighed and knelt down beside her. “Very well.”

Katara
I took a deep breath and pulled out my water. He closed his eyes, and I gently reached out and touched his face. Then I closed my eyes as well, letting the healing take over. Then the water was gone. His face was pulled away from under my hand, and he disappeared. I sighed and looked after him. “Oh, Zuko.” I whispered.

Zuko
I ran, not wanting her to see me. I fell to my knees by the river, looking down into the rippling water. A strained looking boy looked back at me, but I gasped. His face was smooth, perfect. I felt tears stinging my eyes, but I fought them back with my grin. I stood up and went back to Katara.

Katara
I fell asleep, tired from the healing. I was so deeply asleep that I didn’t hear the intruder until he stepped on the bucket and had to turn and catch it. I leaped up. “Who are you!?” I demanded, holding my water whip to his face. “Katara, it’s me! You healed me! Thank you!” Zuko’s voice came from the boy’s mouth, and I grinned along with him. Then he picked me up in his arms and began top twirl me around. Suddenly there was a splash and a sputter, and the fire went out, plunging us into darkness.

Zuko
I was such an idiot! I was swinging Katara around, she knocked the bucket over, and we had no fire. I tried to light a new one, but the sticks were drenched from the rain. A firebender can only dry out so much. We sat in the dark, and I had the feeling Katara was watching me. I shook the feeling away and watched the rain trickle down the walls of the cave. I began to doze off, but something told me I should stay awake.
I was right. I heard a twig snap in the forest outside and leaped to the ready, but all I saw was pouring rain and shadows. A few minutes later, a snuffling noise made my skin crawl, and I blasted a fireball off into the night, but only shadows were visible. “Zuko, what’s wrong?” Katara came up behind me and whispered in my ear, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. “There’s something out there.” I said, and she shivered. “Sorry I put out the fire.” She said, and I chuckled. “I’m sorry I was dancing with you and made you put it out.” She smiled. “Don’t be. You’re a good dancer.” I turned and gave her a look. Suddenly there was a crack of lightning, and she squeaked like a frightened little mouse and grabbed my hand. But I didn’t notice. When the lightning had flashed, it had revealed a small hill covered in thick brown grass. There was only one problem with the hill theory.
The ‘hill’ hadn’t been there a minute ago.
Also, the ‘hill’ was moving.

Katara
When the lightning flashed I felt the old fear come back, and I instinctively grabbed Zuko’s hand. If he felt it, he didn’t mind because he stared out of the cave as if he was looking at something. He jerked back, his eyes wide with shock. “Get in the cave.” He hissed, and we scrambled away from the entrance. “What do you see?” I asked, and he put his hand over my mouth, backing me against the wall. “Katara, I need you to stay here no matter what happens.” I struggled against his hand, but he held firm. “Promise me.” I sighed and nodded. He took his hand away. “I promise Zuko.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead and darted out of the cave. I waited in the darkness for a sound of him, but there was nothing. Suddenly there was a heart-stopping howl, and the sound of pounding feet. I crept to the entrance where I could see out somewhat. Nothing was visible through the darkness, but the flashing lightning depicted a terrifying scene. Zuko was sprinting away through the forest, followed closely by a huge monster unlike anything I had ever seen. It had huge white tusks that gleamed in the harsh light of the lightning, and it had long quills like a porcupine. It was gaining on the running firebender quickly, and I saw him put on a desperate burst of speed. He reached a sheer sided cliff and stopped suddenly. The porcupine-boar charged madly at him, and he stood still, spreading his arms as if he was going to let the monster run him through. “ZUKO!” I screamed as the huge tusks plowed towards him. Suddenly he leaped up, using the tusks like a springboard and leaping over the monster like an acrobat. The monster continued running, and it fell over the cliff screaming madly. Zuko landed in the mud, somersaulted head over heels, and moved no more.

Zuko
I had a plan. Well, kind of. I wasn’t sure how I was going to fight a crazy porcupine-boar, but I knew I had to keep it away from Katara. Everything kind of fell into place. The thing fell off the cliff like I had planned it, and I fell down in exhaustion. I just lay there, feeling the rain patter on my back and head, just happy to be alive after facing the creature. But something nagged in the back of my mind. The dream came back, and I had the horrible feeling the monster would be back. I felt Katara’s pair of strong hands lift me up and sling my arm around her shoulder. I limped back to the cave, my previously injured leg throbbing. She let me down on my ledge and healed the wound from the boar’s tusk in my leg. Suddenly she logged off and punched my arm. “Hey! I just saved your life!” I said, and she crossed her arms. “Never, ever, ever do that again. You almost got yourself killed!” She cried, and I grinned. “Hey, I did do it for you.” She stopped her rant and frowned. “Fine, but still. Never do something that stupid again.”

Katara
We fell asleep to a gentle drizzle, the rain finally clearing up enough to see. When the sun came up, it hit us right in the faces. I opened my eyes and blinked groggily. Zuko rubbed his eyes and looked around, his face taking on a look of amazement. “My left eye can see again.” He said, and felt his left ear. “I can hear in my left ear.” He stood up and looked around our cave. Dust particles glowed golden in the noon sun, making our little cave seem like a beautiful cathedral. “Do you ever get the feeling that life is good?” Zuko asked softly, and I nodded. “Well, we better get going. The Winter Solstice is tonight, and we don’t want any more delays.” I sighed and packed up my things. “So, you’re sure you want to do this?” I asked hesitantly, and Zuko turned to look at me. “We’re not doing this for me. We’re doing this for you, Katara. I have nothing at all to gain by this except I can get married, which isn’t big on my ‘to-do’ list. You’re the one who needs to burn this so you can marry what’s-his-face.” I winced, and he shouldered his pack. “Come on. We need to get going.” I nodded and shouldered my own pack, heading out into the bright sunshine with a heavy heart.

A Broken Bond Part Four

A Broken Bond Part Four

The Beach and the Temple

Katara
I remembered going under the water, and the feeling that someone was keeping me safe. I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a beach that was strewn with seaweed forty feet up the shore, wet and waterlogged. Zuko was lying a few feet away, his arm inches from mine as if he had been holding onto me. A trickle of blood ran down his cheek from under his shaggy black hair, and his eyes were closed. “Zuko?” I whispered, and he groaned and sat up. “Now we’re even.” He grumbled, hand on his head. “For what?” I asked, relief creeping into my voice. I was glad he was ok, even if I wouldn’t tell him that. “You saved me from the Squid-shark; I saved you from the giant wave. So, who’s going to save who from the giant monster?” I gave him an eye roll and stood up, surveying the beach strewn with dead sea creatures and seaweed. “What could have caused that wave?” I asked myself, not noticing the firebender behind me struggling to stand. He fell down, cursing silently. I scanned the horizon, searching for some sign of a natural cause. “Why are you still on the ground?” I asked, and he crossed his arms. “Maybe I don’t feel like standing up after saving your butt.” I scowled and stalked down the beach towards the Air Temple, leaving Zuko alone with his stubbornness.

Zuko
Have you ever noticed how girls have these mood swings? One minute they’re just happy to be alive, the next they’re storming off and leaving you sitting on a beach in the middle of nowhere. (I’ve noticed that all Air Temples are located in the middle of nowhere). After a few minutes I decided I was going to get up and go find her. But I was forgetting one crucial fact; I had a bloody huge gash down my leg. I huffed and got up anyway, my leg nearly collapsing under my weight. I knew I probably couldn’t get all the way up the hill by myself, so I did the thing I hated most.
I asked for help.
“Katara, come back!” I shouted, and a few seconds later a head poked up from a sand dune. “What?” She snapped. “Come over here!” I shouted again. The head disappeared and reappeared a few moments later around the sand dune. “What?” She shouted, still a few yards from me. I motioned for her to come closer, and she did with an obvious eye roll. “What?” She snapped, her arms crossed. I sighed. “I’m sorry I was like that, I wasn’t thinking. Will you help me please?” I think the shock of me saying ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘please’ in the same sentence overwhelmed her, because she stumbled back, spluttering like she had swallowed sea water. (Not that we hadn’t done plenty of that already.) “What?” She asked, and I pulled up my pant leg. She saw the gash that I hadn’t really looked at yet, and her face turned a visible shade lighter. “Zuko, what happened?” She squeaked. I shrugged. “Come on, we have to get you lying down before you injure your leg more.” She grabbed my arm and slung it around her shoulders, and we headed off up the hill.
Katara
When he lifted his pant leg up I almost fainted. (After already almost fainting from hearing him say ‘sorry’ and ‘please’ in the same sentence) A huge gash jutted from his ankle to his knee, so deep you could see the bone and muscle in places. I felt my stomach roil as I looked at it, and I had to hold back a wave of nausea. We struggled up the beach towards the Southern Air Temple, and he did pretty well until we came to the hill. We took one step up and he drew a sharp breath. I looked up at his face and saw it was tightened in pain. “We can make it. Just to the top of this hill and then we can rest.” I said encouragingly, and he nodded. We took the hill slowly, and the amount of his weight I was supporting became greater and greater until I was holding him up. We reached the top of the agonizing hill and collapsed, landing side by side on the dirt. We just laid there panting for a moment, and then met each other’s eyes. “Good job.” I said, and he smiled at me, a genuine smile, one that radiated gratitude; a smile I had never seen coming from his face. “Thank you Katara.” He said, and his voice was strained with pain. “Come on, we still have to get to the campsite.” I said, and helped him up, refusing to look at his leg that was still oozing blood. “We can do this.”

Zuko
I almost passed out when we reached the hill. The pain was almost unbearable, but I had to be strong for Katara’s sake. She wouldn’t be strong enough to carry me, and I had to make sure she wouldn’t have to sit with me on the beach if I did pass out. There were huge thunder heads in the West, sweeping in from the evaporating water in the Fire Nation. Already thunder rumbled across the rapidly darkening sky. We reached a small cave at the top of the hill, and we stumbled in, holding on to each other tightly. There were several benches carved into the stone, and a small fire pit in the center. Katara guided me over to one of the benches and set me down, her limbs trembling with exhaustion. I expected her to collapse on one of the other benches, but instead she turned and set about lighting a fire. “Katara, let me.” I blew a fireball at the sticks that she had put in, and they flared to life. She smiled weakly at me and reached into her sodden pack, pulling out the dried meat that was now dripping wet from the sea water. She began to cook it, and I realized what an incredible person she was. She had just been attacked by a sea monster; nearly drowned by a giant wave and climbed a mountain with a firebender on her back, and the first thing she does is cook dinner. She tossed the meat into a pot of water along with some herbs I hadn’t even seen in her pack, and set the pot in the coals. “Here, let me see your leg.” She turned to me and pulled out her bending pouch. “Katara, you’re exhausted. Get some rest.” I said, and she shook her head. “You’re hurt badly, I need to heal it.” I slowly pulled my leg around in front of me, taking a look at it for the first time. Blood covered my entire leg, and a gaping slash ran from my knee to my ankle. I clearly saw patches of gleaming white bone visible through the flesh. I resisted the urge to shout, faint or run away and placed it in front of Katara. She was looking at my face with an amused expression. “What?” She shrugged, hiding a smile and set to work on my leg.

Katara
He looked at his leg and turned absolutely green! I resisted the urge to laugh and pulled out my water skin. My vision swam, and I had to blink to clear the spots that had begun to dance when I closed my eyes. “Here goes.” I said, and closed my eyes. I ran my hand above the wound, feeling the flesh knitting back together as my hand passed over it. When I was finished, I opened my eyes and looked. The leg was still covered in blood, but the huge gash had been reduced to a thin white scar. “I wish I had you around when I got burned.” Zuko said, wiggling his leg experimentally. I stood up, but my vision was all blurry. “Katara!” Zuko shouted, and I hit the floor, my world going black.

Zuko
Katara stood up after healing my leg, and suddenly began to sway, as if she was drunk. Suddenly she toppled over, and I leaped up to help her. The pain in my leg was all a memory now, and I knelt at her side. She was breathing and her heart was beating, and I couldn’t find anything wrong with her. I reached into her pack and dried out her sleeping sack before putting it on the ledge across from mine and nestling her in its furry blue folds. She sighed and snuggled down, her face peaceful. I smiled and tucked a strand of hair that had strayed on her face behind her ear. She was so beautiful.
‘He was so handsome I couldn’t resist….’
I sighed and moved to the fire, stirring the pot of soup with a stick. Memories swam before my eyes, good and bad alike, but all of them of us.

Her eyes are wide, and her expression one of pure terror. She is just a child, one who will never understand the terrors of the real world outside her tiny little village at the bottom of the world.

She sweeps her arms around, splashing the buffoon pirate in the face. She runs, looking behind her. She looks forward and tries to stop, but too late. She runs right into my arms, a look of mixed anger and fear on her face. “I’ll save you from the Pirates.” I say tauntingly.

“But I have something you want.” I whisper in her ear, and I hold up the necklace in front of her. “Where did you get that?” She cries, tears making her eyes glisten.

“He’s my friend. I’m perfectly capable of protecting him.” I stalk towards her, the waterbender totally unaware of my presence. “Well, aren’t you a big girl now.” I mock, and she turns to me. “No.” She breathes, as if my very presence makes her afraid. I stride forward, prepared to take the Avatar without a fight. “Yes. Give me the Avatar and I won’t have to hurt you.” In all honesty I didn’t want to hurt her; she was an innocent little girl. Then she smacks me with a pillar of water that might as well have been a block of stone. I fly back, landing on the ground with a thump. “I see you’ve learned some new tricks, but that won’t save you.” I blast a fireball at her, and she blocks it with ease. I fire off blast after blast, and she blocks or dodges them all. I dash past her, and grab the Avatar’s collar. She blasts me against the ice wall at the side of the oasis, making me see stars. Suddenly the water closed in around me, creating a prison of ice. She smiles as the ice prison closes. “You little peasant. You’ve found a master, haven’t you?” I say, and blast my way out. She slams me against the wall again, and this time she pins me there. I hang there limply for a moment, not sure what is happening. She had beaten me? Perhaps I had underestimated her. Suddenly I feel power blossom in my chest, and I melt the ice holding me. I drop to the ground and slam her against the post, knocking her unconscious. I grab the Avatar and stand over her, feeling a bit of regret at hurting her. “You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun.” I say, the light of the newly risen sun casting shadows over the grass and the limp figure beneath the post.

I watch helplessly as Uncle falls, his cry of pain ringing in the still air. I cry out in anger and blast my sister. She escapes, and I fall to my knees beside my uncle. The Avatar and his group approach hesitantly. “Get away from us!” I snap. “Zuko, I can help.” The waterbender, the one I had hurt more then all the others combined, was offering to help me. “LEAVE!”I bellow, blasting flame at them. They run, leaving me to care for him alone.

“You’ve got company.” The Dai Li agents holding me laugh and toss me down a tunnel. I land in a heap at the bottom. “Zuko!” I look up and feel my heart sink. Katara is standing above me, looking like she’s ready to kill someone. “You’re a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world’s last hope for peace! But what do you care. You’re the Firelord’s son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood.” I turn around, barely containing my anger. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She whirls on me, fire in her eyes. “I don’t?! How dare you?! You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally.” She crouches down, her hand on the necklace that she always wears. “The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.” I hear her voice crack, and I know she is crying. “I’m sorry. That’s something we have in common.”

She looks guilty. “I’m sorry I yelled at you earlier. It’s just that for so long now, whenever I’d imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face.” I frown, my hand straying to my scar. “My face. I see.” I say. “No, no, that’s not what I meant!” She stutters. “It’s ok. I’ve always thought this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I’ve realized I’m free to choose my own destiny, even if I’ll never be free of my mark.” I don’t know why I’m telling her this, but I can’t stop the words from coming. “Maybe you could be free of it.” I feel my heart jolt. “What?” She shrugs. “I have healing abilities.” I feel my heart sink back down. “It’s a scar. It can’t be healed.” She pulls out a small vial, shaped like a half moon. “This is healing water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties. I don’t know if it would work but.........” I nod and close my eyes. Her hand touches my face and I feel a bolt of electricity down my spine. Her finger grazes my lips, and I have to struggle to slow down my heartbeat.

“I thought you had changed!” She cries, slashing at me with her water whips. “I have changed.” I say back, hoping and praying she knows my secret plan, understands why I had to do this. I slash back, hoping to make it seem as real as possible. Azula blasts her, and she falls down, weak and outnumbered. I fight the pain in my heart at seeing her like this by saying to myself ‘It must be done. I must gain Azula’s trust.’ But the look in her eyes is worse then a million daggers to my heart.

“What on earth makes you think we’d trust you? How stupid do you think we are?” Katara snaps, her eyes blazing. I kneel down and place my hands in front of me. “If you won’t accept me as a friend, then maybe you’ll accept me as a prisoner.” Suddenly I am hit by the pillar of water again, and I fall back. “No, we won’t!” Katara shouts. I sit up, dripping and humiliated. “Get out of here. If we see you again…. Well, we’d better not see you again!” I turn and walk away, my heart heavy.

Why won’t you trust me?” I ask, fuming. “Everyone else does!” She whips around. “Everyone else trusts you? I was the first to trust you! Back in Ba Sing Se, remember?” I sigh, wishing she could forget. “What can I do to make it up to you?” Her beautiful face twists in anger. “What can you do? How about you re-conquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King, or, I know! You can bring my mother back.” She hisses and stalks away. I watch her go with a heavy heart.
“But I am ready to forgive you.” She says, and he face is sad and smiling. She comes closer and throws her arms around me. I realize that the feeling of her arms around me is wonderful and thrilling. “You were right. Violence isn’t what Katara needed.” I say, watching her walk away.

“He doesn’t know about us.” The actors snuggled, and Katara and I scooted apart, our faces burning with embarrassment.

I hear footsteps, and I turn around. “You may have everyone else fooled with your transformation, but you and I both know you’ve struggled with doing the right thing in the past.” Katara stalks in, her eyes dark with a deadly light. “But let me tell you something right now.” She moves closer and jabs her finger in my face. “If you take one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I’ll make sure your destiny ends, right then and there. Permanently.” She turns and storms back out, leaving me as alone and lost as before.

“Thank you, Katara.” I whisper as she heals the lightning wound in my chest. Tears wet her eyes. “No, I’m the one who should be thanking you.” I smile and wish I could hug her, but I’m too weak, and I let her help me inside.

I stand in my place as Firelord and look out over the assembled peoples of all the nations. But one catches my eye immediately; Katara. She is smiling at me, her face full of joy as she stands with her father’s arms around her.

“I guess this is goodbye then.” Katara looks down at me, her eyes full of sadness. “Yes. Goodbye, Zuko.” She says and walks away up the ship until I lose sight of her. I reach out as if to bring her back, but the boat pulls out and takes her away; leaving me more alone then I had ever been.

I sighed and stirred the soup, stretching my stiff leg and watching Katara as she slept.

A Broken Bond Part Three

A Broken Bond Part Three

Danger in the Water

Zuko
The soft light of a winter morning woke me, pulling me away from my strange and terrifying dreams. I sat up, shaking my head to banish the thoughts from my head. For some reason I couldn’t get the images from my dreams out of my head. Katara and I running from some unseen monster crashing through the underbrush behind us, a huge wave crashing down on our heads, a stab of lightning, a small tan hand reaching out desperately, searching for help; and a distant rumbling of something far more sinister than thunder. I passed a hand over my face, trying to wash away my nightmares. “You ok?” Katara was sitting up, her beautiful blue eyes regarding me calmly. “Yeah, just nightmares.” I reassured her. I couldn’t help thinking that there was something strange about the dreams. They felt so real, like it was really happening. I started, remembering a time I had similar dreams. It was so long ago………. “No, it was just a dream.” I muttered. “What was just a dream?” Katara asked, her blue eyes sparkling with interest. “I just had some dreams last night, and they reminded me of dreams I had when I was young.” She propped herself up on her elbow. “And the significance of this is……..” I shrugged. “Those dreams always came true.” Her eyes got huge. “Really? Like which ones?” I closed my eyes, feeling my eyes begin to burn with unshed tears. “I dreamed about my Mother. She was wearing a dark cloak, and she was calling for help. I tried to reach her, but I couldn’t, and she fell down into the blackness. A few weeks later, she disappeared.” I paused, taking a breath. “Then I started dreaming about a horrible shadow, and a blazing light; a burning pain….” My hand strayed up to the scar that disfigures the left side of my face. “Two years of constant nightmares, always ending in the same blinding light and pain. Then it happened.” I knew her eyes were on me as my hand strayed to my scar, but I didn’t care. My hand left my scarred face and clenched into a fist at my side. “What were the dreams about this time?” I looked away, not willing to meet her gaze. “Us.”

Katara
As soon as he said it I felt a lancing pain in my head, and I fell back against the cave wall. “Katara?” He cried, leaping to my aid and kneeling beside me. “What’s wrong?” I blinked, and the pain disappeared suddenly. “I just slipped on the floor.” I said groggily. I knew he didn’t buy it, but he didn’t comment any further. “Come on. If we’re going to get there, we need to hurry.” He pulled his coat over his head and tromped out of the cave, leaving me to gather my things and rush out. “We have a problem.” He called, and pointed out to sea. “The Southern Air Temple is miles and miles that way. We have no boat.” I rolled my eyes and clambered over the cliff edge. “Where are you going?” Zuko called, looking over the edge at me. “To my boat.” I said smugly, and he clambered after me.

Zuko
Sokka had always said his little sister was always right. Even when she was wrong, she was right. “Katara, are you sure we’re going the right way?” I asked, and I saw her eyes roll upwards. “I have an idea! Why don’t you waterbend us all the way to the Southern Air Temple and I’ll sit back and complain!” She snapped, and I slid down in the belly of the small canoe. “I get it, already.” I grumbled. She made a flicking motion with her wrist, and a squirt of icy water hit me square in the face. “Hey!” I spluttered. I had thought I had learned all of her waterbending tricks she used on me, but I had obviously been wrong. She laughed, and the sound sent memories whirling in my mind. Like the silver bells Mother had tried to teach me to use, but I had always been too impatient……. Now it was too late. “Come on, we can visit Appa and Momo while we’re there.” I huffed. “That’s just what I wanted, a smelly monster and a chatty monkey.” Katara did the water squirt again, and I was hit in the face again. “Hey, you have a poofy parka on; all I have is the clothes on my back.” Katara rolled her eyes and made a wide sweeping motion with her arms. Suddenly the canoe shot forward, and I was thrown against the back. “Why didn’t you do that before?” I called, the wind ripping the words out of my throat. “Because I like to see you suffer!” She called back, and I growled and leaped at her. She hadn’t been expecting it, and I bowled over her and sent us both tumbling into the ice cold water of the South Arctic ocean. We both came up coughing and spluttering. “Zuko you idiot!” She shouted, sending a wave at me. I had been gulping air at the time, and I got a lungful of water as the wave swept over me. I came back up choking and gagging, cold sea water blurring my vision. “Come on, the canoe’s this way.” She said, and took off. I swam after her still coughing up seawater.

Katara
I hit the water with headfirst, and came up with ice crystals stinging my face. I hit Zuko with a wave and called him an idiot before striking off for the canoe, which had been pushed away by the force of our splash. I heard him coughing and spluttering behind me, but I ignored him, face still burning from the humiliation of being caught off guard. I pulled myself into the canoe, lying on my back with my arms crossed over my chest angrily. “Katara, help!” Zuko cried, and suddenly the sound of frenzied splashing reached my ears. Zuko was bobbing oddly in the water, as if he was struggling against some unseen force. Suddenly a huge tentacle rose out of the water and slammed down, sending the canoe splashing ten feet away. “Katara! Get out of here, it’s too strong!” He shouted, and I felt a familiar pang of fear. The fear I felt when Dad had fallen to the ground after being injured in the outlook building. The fear I had felt when I saw Aang fall from the sky in Ba Sing Se. The fear when I saw the firebender grab my mother and wrench her away, only to be lost to me forever.
The fear of loosing someone I loved.

Zuko
I felt the suckers on the tentacle latch onto me and drag me down. I struggled futilely against it, but I was losing air quickly. My head broke the surface once more, and I yelled to Katara. “Get out of here! It’s too strong!” I gasped out before the monster yanked me under again. I watched as the light above faded and the bubbles coming from my mouth diminished. Suddenly there was a horrible screeching sound and the tentacle let go of me. I floated there for a minute before realizing I was free. I swam madly for the surface, but I knew it was too far away. I struggled to keep hold of consciousness, but darkness swept over me, pulling me down faster than the giant squid.

Katara
I formed a bubble of air around my head and dove into the water. The thing pulling Zuko under was one of the most feared creatures in the sea. A giant Squid-shark. I set my jaw and sent a razor sharp blade of water at it. It obviously wasn’t expecting to be attacked, because the water blade sliced clean through the tentacle holding Zuko. He floated upward, struggling feebly. The Squid-shark screamed, the sound echoing through the water like the call of a blue-humped whale. It swam upwards towards its floating prey, and I streaked towards it, the bubble of air around my face shrinking to cover my mouth. I stopped suddenly, sending another razor sharp blade towards the Squid-shark. It dodged, but the blade sliced through another one of its tentacles. Suddenly the thing shot off West, going as fast as its tentacles would carry it, and I saw all the other fish and things around us doing the same. I shot upwards and grabbed Zuko around the waist, shooting out of the water and landing on the boat with a thump, Zuko under me. I opened my eyes and found my face inches from Zuko’s. I rolled off him and sat up. “You had better cook all the meals for a week.” I said, but he didn’t answer. He was lying in the same position as he had been when we landed in the boat. “Zuko?” I asked hesitantly. He still didn’t move. “Oh no.” I breathed, flying to his side and checking for a pulse. He had no pulse. He wasn’t breathing. I felt no heartbeat. Nothing. “No! I can’t lose you now! I fought a giant killer squid to save you, and you drown? What is wrong with you?” I shouted at him, but he didn’t move. “Please, Zuko. I didn’t mean all those things I said three years ago. I didn’t mean any of them.” I cried, tears beginning to flow down my cheeks. “I lied when I said I hated you. I lied when I said I didn’t ever want to see you again. I lied, Zuko!” I whispered, setting my head on his chest.
“That time Toph caught me sitting on your chest after we sparred? And she called us lovebirds? I was so mad when she said that because, well, maybe I wanted it to be true.”

Zuko
Suddenly there was air. My mind had all but shut down and my lungs no longer burned, but then there was air. My body was so shocked that it couldn’t respond for a moment. “I didn’t mean those things.” I heard a faint voice speaking to me, and I sat back and listened. “I lied when I said I hated you. I lied when I said I didn’t ever want to see you again. I lied, Zuko.” The voice was Katara’s, speaking to me through the darkness. There was a slight pressure on my chest. “That time Toph caught me sitting on your chest after we sparred and called us lovebirds? I was so mad when she said that because, well, maybe I wanted it to be true.” As if on cue, my body jerked back to life, and I sat up coughing and spluttering, throwing the weight off. When the spasms ended I opened my eyes and shook my head, spraying water on both of us. “Zuko!” Katara squealed, and threw her arms around me. “Hey, don’t get all mushy and sentimental on me.” I said, my voice strained and hoarse. What happened after that proved my theory -all girls are totally and utterly insane- correct. She slugged me in the arm so hard it felt like a punch from Combustion Man. Then she started crying these huge blue tears that flowed down her face like a waterfall. Then she started laughing, tears still pouring out of her eyes. I’m sitting there with a crying, laughing waterbender who just punched me really hard holding onto me like she’d never let go. And this was right after had just been attacked by a giant Squid-shark! What do the spirits have against me?

Katara
When Zuko sat up and started coughing up seawater, I thought it was too good to be true. I hugged him before he had even finished coughing, so happy I couldn’t even express it. Then I got angry, and I slugged him. “Ow!” He yelped. Then I felt the tears coming back, and before I could stop them they began to pour out, and I started laughing. Mostly at myself and my flood of emotions. “Katara, I’m fine! Really, all the thing did was practically drown me!” Zuko said weakly, and I just sat there and held onto him, unwilling to let go of his waist. “Come on, we need to get going.” Zuko coughed, and I sat up. Suddenly he bent over, looking at the water. “What’s going on?” He asked, and I looked. Hundreds and hundreds of fish of all sizes were flashing under the canoe. Penguin fish, whale-dolphins, leopard seals, otter penguins, all the fish around were heading west as fast as their tails would carry them. Zuko looked the way they were coming from. “Oh no!” He breathed. I followed his gaze and gave a squeak of surprise. A wave the size of a mountain was headed right for us.

Zuko
As soon as I spotted the wave I felt the image from my dream coming back to me. The enormous wave crashing down on our heads. “Hold on!” Katara yelled and made a wide sweeping motion with her arms. We shot off, away from the wave, but I knew we weren’t going to outrun it. It drew closer and closer, and I could see the fish inside it. And then it was right above us, pulling us up into its crest. I didn’t see the coast of the Southern Air Temple drawing nearer, I only saw the wave and the fact that it was sucking us up. “Zuko, the shore!” Katara cried, and I did something totally random and not really helpful. I threw myself over the waterbender, as if it would shield her from the Tidal wave crashing down on our heads. Then there was darkness, and the only thing that told me I was still alive was the small, warm body in my arms. I was bashed against the bottom, trying to keep Katara from harm by taking the impact with my back. I banged my head on something hard so hard I saw stars, and most of my air escaped from my lips in a burst of bubbles. I felt sand rubbing against my back, and I flipped Katara over, shoving her up on the sand. I crawled after her, praying to the spirits, (and yes, I am aware that they hate me) that there would be no more super waves. Only a few seconds after I sent the prayer up, I was blasted by a wall of water, and I clutched Katara tightly to my side. When the water receded, I crawled a bit further up the beach until we were out of range of normal waves. Then again, we had just been pummeled by a thirty foot tall wave, so ‘normal’ didn’t really help. After we weren’t pulverized by any waves for a few moments, I let unconsciousness take me.

A Broken Bond Part Two

A Broken Bond Part Two

The Meeting

Zuko
I was freezing, and I knew it. The fire I had built was small, and I was having trouble controlling my body heat. I could usually just warm or cool my body as I wished, but I right then I felt like an icicle. I cursed the river, wishing a certain waterbender had been there to dry me out before I had gotten this cold. I had tried to evaporate the water, but it started raining. Then it turned to snow. It was definitely one of those days when the spirits hated me. Then again, most days were like that for me lately.

Katara
I shouldered my pack, heading off for the small canoe that would carry me to the Fire Nation. Kenai took my hand, kissing me gently on the lips. I smiled at him, but it felt hollow. “Be careful.” I nodded and hopped in my canoe, creating a wave that pushed me Northwest out into the open ocean. I floated for hours in my little canoe, bobbing up and down on the gentle swells of the frigid waters. After hours of paddling and waterbending, I spotted a small speck of land on the horizon. The southern tip of the Fire Nation was closer than I had thought. I landed, stowing my boat in a crack in the cliffs. I rubbed my hands together, studying the steep cliffs that lined the coastline. I cracked my knuckles, grabbing hold of a protruding rock and hoisting myself up. A very long climb awaited me, so I started climbing.

Zuko
I felt myself drifting in and out of consciousness. I knew that I was too far from any Fire Nation outposts or villages to hope for help. I was as far south as you could go in the Fire Nation. The sound of pounding waves rang in my ears, and the sound of splashing water created a soothing lullaby. Suddenly the pelican gulls that nested in the cliffs started squawking, as if a stray pigeon hawk had come to raid their nests. “Ow, oh, ouch! No, go away!” a voice echoed up the cliffs. In my half frozen state I thought it sounded familiar. “Move, darn it!” My eyes shot open. I had been shoved out of the way with that same line many times more than three years ago by a waterbender on a rampage. “Katara?” I mumbled, but I didn’t have the energy to move. My vision was blurred, but I saw a blue shape climb over the edge of the cliff, collapsing on the ground in a panting heap. I tried stand up, but I stepped on a slick patch of ice, falling down with a crash. The blue shape raised her head. “Zuko?” I heard no more, and I fell into deep dark sleep.

Katara
I had just been attacked by pelican gulls and climbed a fifty foot cliff when I saw him. He looked sick, and he just kind of fell down. I rushed over, kneeling down to check him for injuries. He didn’t seem hurt at first, but my when my hand came in contact with his face, I felt like I had touched a block of ice. He was freezing! I dragged him over to the cave he had obviously been taking shelter in, restarting the fire and taking care of his hypothermia. It was several hours before he came to. He sat up, rubbing his head and groaning. “I need to lay off the leche nuts!” He opened his eyes, and they meet mine. His eyes got huge, and he flopped back down on to my parka that I had used as a makeshift bed. “Hello to you too Zuko.” I laughed. He shrugged. “I’m just having another dream. I dream about you a lot, actually. More than usual lately.” I raised an eyebrow. That was more information then I needed. “Actually, you’re not dreaming.” He shrugged again. “You say that every time. I’ll try to touch you and you’ll disappear in a puff of smoke. I can’t help it.” He sat up, his shirtless chest looking very impressive in the firelight. His eyes were deep pits of sadness in his pale face.
“I miss you.”

Zuko
I took in Katara in all her beauty. She seemed different then she did in my dreams. Usually she appeared as the fourteen year old girl I knew, but this time she looked older. “Take my hand, Zuko. I’m as real as you are.” I hesitantly reached out, her small tan hand looking the same as it had those years ago. I felt our hands touch, and I waited for the puff of smoke. It didn’t come. She clasped my hand tightly in hers, and I felt my heart give a jolt. It was really Katara! I stood up so fast my head started spinning, and I had to sit back down. I realized she was still holding my hand in hers, looking amazed. “I can’t believe I found you so quickly.” She opened her hand against mine until they were flat against each other. Our fingers twined, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Do you remember?” She asked, and I nodded “That was a long time ago.” Then it was her turn to nod, and I saw a look of confusion in her sapphire blue eyes. She bit her lip, and I thought she was about to cry. I put my free hand on her shoulder. “Do you remember when we were on that island all those years ago?” I nodded. “You gave me something.” Again I nodded, not sure where she was going with this. “Well, we have to go there again.” I felt my spirits soar. We were going back! “And burn it.” My good mood ended very suddenly. “What? Why? It was a good luck charm I carved for you!” She shook her head. “It has to be done, Zuko. But I think when you gave it to me under the Southern Light’s first appearance during the Solstice; it did more than bond our trust.” I nodded. “You want to break the bond.” She nodded back. “I’m sorry, Zuko! I don’t want to, but I can’t marry Kenai until I do!” her free hand flew to her mouth. I pulled my hand out of the twine. “I see. You’re getting married! Well, congratulations to the bride. Don’t let me spoil your happy day.” I stood up and stomped out of the cave, leaving Katara alone.

Katara
I sighed, slouching against the wall. I hadn’t meant to say anything about Kenai or my reason for breaking the bond and burning the amulet. My hand strayed up to my two necklaces that hung around my neck; my mother’s necklace, small and smooth, and my new necklace, Kenai’s betrothal to me, larger and rougher, a carving of a wave. I realized that there was something under all of the others, hanging so low I couldn’t see it. I pulled it out of my parka, watching it sparkle in the firelight. It hung on a thin black chain, with small red beads at intervals between the chains. At the end was a small silver carving, like a twisting snake, it wound its way around the small silver plate it was carved into. “So you kept it?” I jumped, whipping around. Zuko was standing at the entrance to the cave, arms folded across his chest. “I felt like it was a part of me.” I admitted, reaching back to unsnap it. I stopped, a realization hitting me. “I’ve never taken it off.” He smiled. “Nor have I.” He reached into his shirt, pulling out a small chain identical to mine except the colors. His was blue with white beads, and the carving was carved into black metal, like the metal from which Sokka had made his sword. He knelt down beside me. “I can’t believe you kept that thing for three years!” I said as he sat down next to me. “It was the only thing I had to remember you by.” I smiled, feeling a sudden sadness taking hold of me. “I wanted to remember you too.” He scooted closer to me until our shoulders touched. Actually, my shoulder came to about the middle of his upper arm. We talked and laughed about the antics of the old days long into the night, and I soon got sleepy. “Are you tired?” Zuko asked. I nodded, stretching my arms. I reached into my pack, pulling out my sleeping bag. I crawled into it, watching silently as Zuko rolled up his coat into a makeshift pillow. “Where’s your stuff, anyway?” He shrugged, resting his head on his arms. “When I fell into the River Unceasing my pack was washed away.” I nodded, imagining Zuko falling into a river. I suppressed a snicker. “What’s your problem?” I looked to see that he was glaring at me. I shrugged. “Funny mental picture.” He scowled and flopped down. I nearly closed my eyes, keeping them opened a crack. I knew he was watching me. “What?” I asked, and he jumped.
“Nothing, I was just……. Remembering.”
Zuko
She looked so beautiful, her eyes closed and her hair falling loosely around her shoulders. Just the way I liked it, free and flowing as the wind. And her spirit. Like a waterfall in the moonlight. I shook my head. I was just a poetic mess that night. “Goodnight, Katara.” I whispered. “Goodnight Zuko.” I started, surprised to hear her answer me. I smiled a little smile, remembering the old days. “Do you remember when we’d say goodnight over and over until Toph told us to shut up?” Her voice was soft and distant, the way voices were when they were remembering. “Yeah. You always started it, but somehow I was always the one who got shouted at by the little earthbender.” She laughed. “The very scary little earthbender.” I nodded. “So, what’s become of all of them?” She sighed. “They grew up. Sokka and Suki are going on their honeymoon next month.” I nodded. “No surprise there.” She shrugged. The Sokka/Suki thing had been pretty much set since the Serpent’s Pass, when they had shared their first kiss. “Aang and Toph have gotten together.” I resisted the urge to laugh. “Aang’s with Toph? Isn’t that, like, against monk law?” She rolled her eyes. “He’s the last airbender on the planet, don’t you think there’s more than a small chance if they get married and have kids, at least one will be an airbender?” I snorted, and she realized too late what she was suggesting. “Never mind.” I fell into a laughing heap, and she joined in until we were both sore from laughing. “What about you? You’re getting married.” She lowered her gaze, and her laughing ended abruptly. “Yeah, I am.” I gazed at her, my eyes burning with intensity. “His name is Kenai and he’s from the North Pole. We met when he was helping to rebuild our home after a certain someone broke our ice wall down.” She put emphasis on ‘someone’. I shrugged guiltily. “He proposed to me three weeks later, and he was so handsome and kind I couldn’t resist. I really thought we had a chance.” I raised my eyebrow. “What do you mean?” She shrugged, and her voice softened. “On our wedding day, the ice broke right out from under me, like the spirits had a problem with me and Kenai getting married. The shaman said they already had me ‘matched up.’” I frowned. “Who with?” She bit her lip in the way I had come to recognize that meant she was nervous.
“You.”

Katara
As soon as I said it I mentally slapped myself. Why was I telling him all this? He probably didn’t give a leche nut about my emotional turmoil. “Me? You’ve got to be kidding me.” I shook my head, feeling his gaze blasting me. “Well, we’d better get a good night’s sleep if we’re going to get all the way to the Southern Air Temple in there days.” He rolled over and soon his breathing evened out, and he left me alone to think about my scrambled emotions. I rolled over, facing away from the sleeping boy. I closed my eyes, willing the peace of sleep to take me. Slowly I drifted away, sleep washing over me in an endless wave of darkness.

A Broken Bond Part One

Hey guys! This is the first part of a story called A Broken Bond. It's really long, so I had to split it up into parts. ;)

A Broken Bond, Part One

The Wedding

Zuko
I tossed and turned, unable to shake the dream from my mind. Why was I having these dreams so often? I sat up, running my hand over my face. I had been remembering the two months I spent with the Avatar’s group. The time I spent with Katara. We had become friends in the time it took for Uncle and me to teach Aang to firebend, (Less time then I had expected) I had grown fond of her, and I thought we would still be friends when the war was over. But she went home to the South Pole and I hadn’t seen her since. I had decided to take a trip to see the world, now that the war was over, and I had planned on dropping by the South Pole. Uncle was in charge of the Fire Nation, and I knew all would be well until I went home. I was halfway to the bottom tip of the Fire Nation, and it was getting cold. I sighed and turned back over, wrapping my blanket around myself.

Katara
“Now, this is what she should wear!” Suki held up a dark blue and black short-sleeved dress with shells embroidered down the sides. “No, she’d freeze in that! She should wear this!” Gran-Gran handed me a cream colored sleeveless dress with a fur coat. “Please just stop, you’re giving me a headache.” I shouted, rubbing my temples. “She’s nervous, she needs food! I’ll get the smoked penguin fish!” Gran-Gran said. “No, she needs tea.” Suki countered. “You know, that’s fine. I’ll just pick out my earrings.” Suki hand shot into her bag, and Gran-Gran opened a sack on the floor. “These will match the dress perfectly!” Suki held up a pair of shell earrings. “What is it with you and your shells?” Gran-Gran snapped, holding up a pair of furry hoops. “Ick!” Suki cried, holing her nose. “What is it with you and your furs?” Suddenly I had a brilliant idea. “You know, I am feeling a bit hungry.” Both faces lit up. “I’ll get the fish.” Gran-Gran rushed out. “I’ll get the tea!” Suki turned and tripped on a fur rug. I laughed, shaking my head. I opened the basket that contained what I was really wearing. I looked in the mirror, chewing on my lip in the way Suki hated. My dress was long and white, with a low neck that hung on my shoulders, and my hair was pulled back in a bun. ‘Zuko liked your hair down.’ The thought surprised me. Why was I thinking about him? This was my day, not his. I realized I hadn’t heard from him in over three years. I shook my head, banishing the thoughts from my mind. “You look as beautiful as your mother did in that dress on our wedding day.” My father had opened the flap to my tent, letting in a gust of cold air. “I wanted to wear something of hers.” I said, smoothing a wrinkle down. He held out an arm, and I took it, my two blue necklaces resting on my neck. We walked through the isle of watching villagers, Northern and Southern. Kenai was standing at the end, a smile on his face. I took a deep breath, bracing myself. And then it began. “Great spirits, we have gathered here today to join these two members of the Water Tribe together as one. We hope this pleases you!” The crowd fell silent, Sokka clutching Suki tightly, Aang holding Toph’s hand. “Then Kenai may now-” CRACK!!!! Suddenly the ice broke out from underneath me, creating a great crevice between me and Kenai. I stumbled, falling against one of the now askew poles. The people began to scream, running about in a frenzy. “It’s a sign!” Some of the women whispered. I looked helplessly at Kenai then at my father.

Zuko
I was having a bit of trouble crossing the River Unceasing in the lower Fire Nation. It was ice cold, and I was not particularly fond of freezing water in the middle of winter. I dipped a toe in before pulling it out with a yelp. I huffed in frustration. I tried to make a small patch of warm, but instead just made a big steam cloud that made it impossible to see. Then I tried crossing over on a log, which ended in me falling head first into the River Unceasing. The freezing River Unceasing. In the middle of winter. I climbed out on the other side cold, wet and without my supplies, which had fallen out in my head-first plunge.
It was going to be one of those days.

Katara
I sat in the shaman’s hut later that night, waiting for her to help me with my problem. I huffed quietly. I had been waiting for twenty minutes. “Yeah, yeah, alright!” She shuffled out of the back flap with a small bag in her hand. “Why won’t the spirits let me marry Kenai?” I asked, hearing the wining tone come into it. “The ice just cracked right out from under you? Are you sure you haven’t been gaining a few pounds?” My mouth fell open in indignation. “No! My weight’s been constant.” She snorted. “Well lucky you, miss constant weight.” She sounded more sarcastic than Sokka usually did. “Let’s just ask the Spirits, ok?” She opened her small bag and threw a handful of its contents onto the fire. A small image of a pair of clasped hands appeared in the fire. One pair was small and tan, the other large and pale. From them dangled a small amulet, an image of the moon overlapping the sun. “It looks like the spirits already have you matched up.” I blinked. “What? You mean….” She blinked. “That’s who you’re matched up with.” I felt my heart give a jolt. “He gave you an amulet under the first break of the Southern lights during the Winter Solstice. You were bonded by it.” I drew a breath. “Is there no way to break the bond?” The shaman shook her head. “Absolutely positively no possible-” Suddenly the fire flared up, sending sparks around the tent. “Well, there is one way.” I nodded, all ears. “You must go to the place where you made the bond and burn the amulet during the Solstice before the lights fade.” I started. “What? But that happens in three days!” The shaman nodded. I stood up and headed for the door. “Thank you!” I had to pack if I was going to get to the Air Nomad’s temple before it was too late. “Oh, and one more thing.” I stopped mid-step. “You have to go with the person who gave you the amulet.” I stopped. “What?” She nodded. “You must go with him to the temple, and when the lights shine down on you, you must burn the amulet.” I bit my lip. “We were just kids!” I protested. She snorted. “I’ve heard that one before.” I huffed. “I don’t know where he is! He could be anywhere!” The shaman tossed another handful onto the fire. It sizzled, flaring up. A small image came into view. A person dressed in brown sitting by a small fire shivering violently. “Stupid River.” I frowned. I could hear his voice? It sounded just like it had all those years ago. He rubbed his arms, shaking. He shook his head, causing his hood to fall back. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He hadn’t aged a day! His hair was longer, hanging in his face, but he still had the permanent look of sadness and anger on his face, but it seemed deeper than before. I wondered if he had moved on, maybe even married. “Isn’t that the boy who broke down your brother’s watch tower three years ago?” The shaman was staring at the image like it was a pile of rotten penguin meat. I nodded guiltily. She stood and brushed specks of ash off her lap.
“I suggest you go look in the woods.”

Hey fellow Zutarians!

Hello my fellow Zutarians! This is my blog named Zutara Crossing. It will have Fanfiction written by me and my friends, some cool fan art from Deviantart and maybe even a few youtubes of our favorite pair! We are the strong, the spirited, the loud, the proud, the brave, the fierce, the Believers! WE ARE THE ZUTARIANS!!!!!! And we will always believe, no matter what Mike and Bryan say!

So I could have said Goodbye

Ok, I wrote this FOREVER ago, so bear with me. But I really like this Fic, so I decided to post it because I am avoiding my homework. So read it.

There are some things that you know are going to happen. You can feel it. Others slip by. You don’t realize that things are about to change. Forever. I wish I had had some warning that day.
So I could have said goodbye.
~
“Katara, we’re going to be late!” Zuko yelled from outside my room in the Fire Nation palace. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” I yelled back, slipping on my shoes. “Finally!” he sighed when I came out. He took in my graceful blue dress with white trim. Instead of my usual plain braid, my hair was piled up in an elegant bun, with strands framing my face. “You look gorgeous!” Zuko said, offering me his arm. I took it and smiled as we entered the ballroom. Aang waved at us from his seat at the table, motioning for us to sit by him. “Katara, Zuko, come sit by us!” He yelled, smiling broadly. I sat down next to Toph, who was wearing a beautiful sea green dress that matched her eyes perfectly. “Katara, do I have something in my teeth?” Toph asked, giving me a wide smile. “No, why?” I asked. “Twinkle Toes here has been staring at me for the last five minutes straight. Then you walked in and he started staring at you.” She explained with an evil smirk. I shot her a death glare before turning back to Zuko. “So, how long did it take to get this ready?” I asked. The Fire Lord sighed, adjusting his drooping crown. “A long time.” He grumbled. “I’m surprised it was ready at all. I thought we would have to postpone it. Speaking of which, where’s your brother? I know I invited him.” Zuko complained. “Only because I made you!” I giggled, laughing at the look he gave me. “And your point is…..” He asked. “Oh, lighten up!” I said, elbowing him. That’s when Sokka walked in holding Suki’s hand. “Hey, Sokka!” Aang said cheerily. Sokka squeezed in next to Aang. “How are you, Suki?” I asked across my brother. “Fine.” She said, with a mischievous glint in her bright blue eyes. “So, you’re here with Zuko?” she asked casually. “Yep, he asked me yesterday.” I said proudly. “I’m surprised that Aang and Sokka didn’t make a fuss. And I see that Aang and Toph are here together too!” She sounded surprised. I raised my eyebrow at her. “And you just noticed this?” I asked. Aang and Toph had been getting closer for almost two months now. Oh, well. Some people just aren’t very attentive. I could barely eat the food, even though it smelled delicious. I was excited, wondering if Zuko would ask me to dance. When dinner was finally over, the music began. Sokka stood up and bowed to Suki. “May I have this dance, fair lady?” He said, smiling his silly smile. Suki giggled. “Of course, kind sir.” They spun off, the first couple on the floor. Other’s joined them. Toph smirked and grabbed Aang, dragging him onto the dance floor. “Come on, Twinkle Toes!” she said, laughing. Aang grinned and air bent them off the floor so they were dancing in mid-air. Several people gasped in awe. Zuko glanced at me. I glanced back. “Well, we might as well.” He grumbled, holding his hand out to me. I leaped to my feet, pulling Zuko out. Some people stopped to see who the Fire Lord was dancing with. Aang and Toph still hadn’t come down, and had gotten more than a few stares floating up in the air like they were. I think that my brother had sampled a few of the Fire Nation wines, because he was spinning and twirling and dipping Suki like a rag doll, who was giggling like a little girl. The music changed suddenly, and I felt Zuko pull me closer into position. As we twirled across the floor I realized that Zuko was an incredible dancer. ‘Where did he learn to dance?’ I wondered, staring into his burning golden eyes. “You’re a very good dancer, Katara.” He said without breaking eye contact. “You’re better.” I said, blushing. He spun me in a graceful arc. When he pulled me back we were closer than before. We stopped, lost amid the swirling dancers. The world around us blurred, colors blending. All that mattered was us. I leaned towards him, his golden eyes pulling me in. “Katara, stop.” He whispered suddenly. I blinked, and the world was there again. He slipped off the dance floor, and I followed him. We went out onto the balcony. “I’m sorry, Zuko. We were dancing, and well, I just got carried away.” I said, flushing at my stupidity. “No, Katara. That’s not what I meant.” He said gently. I turned away, going back inside. “Katara, wait!” he said, but I ignored him. Suddenly, he spun me around, bringing me into a kiss. I broke away. “Wait, you do like me?” I asked, confused. “I didn’t want to be in there with all those people. I wanted to tell you alone.” He pulled me back in, and I returned the kiss this time. Suddenly, an uproar came from inside. “Sokka! What are you-” Suki’s voice came from inside. “Aang! Toph! Get down from there and help me!” she yelled. “Uh oh.” Zuko and I said simultaneously. I raced inside, lips still tingling. “Sokka, what did you do?!” I asked as I skidded into the ballroom. Aang was trying to grab Sokka, who was hanging upside down from a chandelier. “How did he get up there?” I asked Suki. “I don’t know I just turned away for a second!” Suki said, looking distraught. “It’s Ok, Suki. We’ll get him down.” I said, trying to soothe her. “Got him!” I heard Aang’s triumphant yell. He was trying to get Sokka onto the ground without dropping him. I ran over to catch him if he fell. Aang landed with a thump, Sokka holding tightly to him. “Hi, Mom!” Sokka said cheerily to me. I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Let’s get him to his room.” I instructed. With Toph on one side and me on the other, we managed to get the boy back to his bed. Suki looked crest-fallen when we said he should probably stay in his room for the rest of the night. She went to her room, shoulders sagging. “Great job, Sokka.” She grumbled. Aang, Toph and I headed back to the ballroom where Zuko was trying to calm everyone down. “No, he is not crazy!” he was telling a group of people. I walked over and pulled him away. “Ok, mister Fire Lord, you need to take a break!” I said. He smiled at me and nodded. We went back out to the balcony. I looked up at the sky, and at the stars sprinkled across it. “Good night.” I whispered, giving Zuko a light kiss on the cheek. I walked back to my chambers feeling happier than I had for quite a while.
~

The next morning Sokka and I were called home. As we prepared to board the ship that would carry us away, Sokka took Suki in his arms. I looked back at Zuko. He gave me a little smile. Acting on instinct I flew down the gangplank into the arms of the Fire Lord. I heard a choking noise come from Sokka, but I didn’t care. When we had all said our goodbyes, (most involving Sokka kissing Suki,) we set sail for home.

~
We ended up staying longer than expected. While we were there, Gran-gran got sick, and we had to stay another month. When we finally got to go back, I had a horrible sense of foreboding. Aang and Toph met us at the dock, but their ‘welcome backs’ were half-hearted. “Aang, what’s wrong?” I asked worriedly. He turned to me. “Zuko-” He stuttered, choking back tears. “What?” I asked, scared to hear the answer. “Katara, Zuko’s dead.” ***
I attended his funeral. He had come down with a horrible bout of igeriolosis. (A/N I just totally made that up. It’s a sickness where your body just kind of shuts down.) I heard all the ‘you poor girl’ and ‘you were very attached to him, weren’t you’ and ‘I’m so sorry’ but I didn’t really hear them. All I could hear was that one phrase. ‘Katara, Zuko’s dead, Zuko’s dead, Zuko’s dead.’ ringing in my ears over and over. I was so sad, but I hadn’t shed a tear. I tried, but my eyes remained dry. One day I accidentally found Zuko’s room. I was walking blindly around the palace, when I just stumbled through a door and found myself in his room. A pair of swords hung on the wall next to a blue mask. There was a tiny package on the red-sheeted bed. On instinct I went over and read the label. ‘To Katara.’ It said. It only said twelve words, and held one object, but that package tore out whatever was left of my broken heart.
‘Katara you little peasant! I think
I’ve fallen in love with you.
I clutched the red and blue object that fell out of the package, and I cried.
~
Sokka and Suki got married a few months later. Aang and Toph followed the next year. Sokka named his children Yue and Koda. Aang and Toph had two children, Ari and Tia. I went to their marriages and helped deliver their babies. They call me Aunty Katara, and I loved my two nieces and two nephews. But whenever Suki kissed Sokka, or Toph kissed Aang, I felt a stab of pain in my chest, the place where my heart used to be. But no longer. It was torn out long ago. Every night before I go to bed, I pull out the thing that is now my most treasured possession. I rub the beautiful carving, a red and blue yin yang. I wonder what we would have named our children, and I tell you that I love you. I haven’t cried in front of anyone since it happened. But every night, holding that little thing that means the world to me, I cry.

THE END