Fire is world ending.
When a healer from his past comes to the Fire Nation at last, everything goes up in flames.
Will there be anything to save from the ashes?
...
Aang apologized for some more time while she calmed her breathing. Stopped crying. Explained to him briefly how she spent whole night burning with a fever. How Yeila prepared her a hot bath while Asoya brought her the tonics.
Katara was in pain through all of it.
But she stayed in his arms until he put her on his bed. Kissing her brow, he straightened up.
''I'll go get you water,'' Aang rubbed his neck. ''And perhaps some food.''
Katara forced a little smile, nodding. His face brightened up immediately.
''I will be right back,'' he promised.
As soon as he left the room, Katara's her emptied out.
Staring at the wall, she laid on her side. Unmoving. Tears started falling down her face soundlessly.
She did not even wince when the door slammed open and Chan barged into the room. He stopped dead in front of her.
Slowly, she looked up at him through her misty eyes. His face was drawn.
Pathetic, she was pathetic.
''Katara,'' he knelt next to the bed. He made no move to touch her. Just stared at her with this damn concern in his eyes. ''Will you let me take you to your room?''
''Aang...''
''I'll make something up,'' Chan snapped. He was angry, she realized. Whether at her or the Avatar, she couldn't bring herself to care about it now. ''Just allow me to help you.''
Katara swallowed. ''Okay.''
This is all Chan needed as he swooped her up into his arms. She did not object, her body limp in his hold, as he quickly walked out of the room.
Perhaps it was a small mercy that they did not bump into anyone on their way to her chamber. She thanked the Spirits nonetheless.
They were both quiet. Neither said anything until they reached the room and Chan delicately laid her body on the bed.
''What can I get you?'' Chan asked softly. ''What do you need?''
''Zuko,'' she rasped. ''I need Zuko.''
..............................................
Katara didn't know how long she waited. It might've been five minutes or few hours.
All Chan told Zuko was that it went bad. He did not wait for further explanation as he ran to the waterbender.
His heart beating fast, it suddenly stopped dead in his chest as he stormed into the room.
The door closed behind him. He was aware that it was Chan ensuring they have the privacy.
He didn't know where to look.
At the way Katara laid curled up on the bed.
At the tears falling down her cheeks as her eyes were fixed on the wall.
Or at the burns on her neck, her shoulders and the blood on the back of her head.
This all powerful bender, master of water and blood, the world's greatest healer.
Broken. Hurt. Lost.
His jaw tensed.
Aang did that to her.
He harmed her. And even though Zuko just saw the physical consequences of the Avatar's rage, he knew Katara's heart was broken for a different reason.
Her own friend treated her this way. Her boyfriend beat her.
And Zuko was sure it wasn't only physical.
His nostrils flared as he approached the bed. It took Katara a second to glare up at him. Her breath caught and a little whimper escaped her mouth.
''I'm going to enjoy killing him,'' Zuko snarled. Katara slowly sat up, blinking. ''I will burn him alive.''
She shook her head. She wiped her tears away but she could not stop the sobbing. ''Zuko...''
The way her voice was so small, so silent... It was unlike the Katara he's known years ago. The outspoken, loud waterbender that stood firmly on the ground.
Nothing remained of her now.
Taking a big breath in, Zuko lowered to his knees. Katara observed every movement. ''Will you... Can I touch you?''
Katara reached out to him as an answer.
Without hesitation, Zuko climbed on the bed. She laid down on her side and he took the place behind her. Closing the distance between them, he wrapped his arm over her body. He gathered her up to his chest.
Katara closed her eyes. His warmth, his scent... it was calming. Settling her nerves as she leaned her back into him.
Zuko was careful not to touch her unhealed wounds. He would not make her do anything she didn't want to.
If she wished to lay in this bed for the rest of her life, he would do that with her. Holding her, cradling her, kissing her. Anything she desired.
''I didn't tell him the truth,'' she sniffed. She couldn't see but Zuko raised his eyebrows. ''A maid saw me in your room this morning.'' Angi, he knew that basin wasn't there last night! ''She told Aang and he was furious.''
''She told him?'' Zuko growled. Oh, he would find out which one of his servants dared to go to the Avatar straight away. ''She had no right.''
Katara nodded. She also couldn't comprehend how one stranger could be the cause of her suffering right now. ''I'm sorry, Zuko. I...''
''You don't apologize to me,'' Zuko whispered. He would rather jump out the window than make her cry again or think she owes him any explanation. ''You never need to.''
Katara sighed. ''This means... I'm still with Aang.''
''I know.''
She turned in his arms to look at him. His face was firm. Tensed. ''I wanted to end it with him. So we could continue with... this,'' she uncertainly pointed between them. At their linked bodies. Her eyes glistened again.
Zuko cupped her cheek with his free hand. ''We still can.''
Katara's forehead furrowed. ''How?''
''We have to be careful, of course,'' Zuko said and his eyes never left hers. ''There will have to be no glances, no meetings in public, no smiles. We will barely talk to each other in front of the others. You need to play the part. You are his after all,'' his mouth lowered to her ear. Shiver went down her spine. ''But your body belongs to me.''
Her skin tightened.
Keeping it a secret was the only way for her to be even remotely happy.
She nodded her head as Zuko placed a kiss under her ear.
Katara will do this. For him. For herself. For them.
