Catalyst

Chapter 6: Healing the Body

Sokka groaned in frustration when Appa licked Zuko. Seriously? Appa must have gone mad along with everyone else. The most Sokka had gotten from him when they first met was 100-year-old boogers all over himself. Traitor.

Zuko's face suddenly grayed and his breathing turned from panting to a gasping wheeze. Clouded fear returned to his eyes. "Please," he exhaled before passing out.

Katara immediately went into action, bending water from his lungs before taking the small bowl from Aang's hands and three or four ingredients from the basket she had nearby. She crushed the ingredients in a bowl before mixing in a small amount of lake water, forming a thick paste that was then applied Zuko's upper chest and throat.

The bowl was quickly cleaned out and two other ingredients were mixed together. Katara ran to the fire, held the bowl over the flames until the contents began to smoke, and then returned to the group crowded around Zuko. She stuck the bowl under his nose for him to inhale and he did so with great effort.

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Over the next hours, Zuko's painful gasps slowed and eventually quieted. Sokka, along with everyone else, watched as their enemy slept peacefully. No one said much other than intermittently remarking on his improved breathing. None of them wanted to say it, but Sokka knew everyone—even himself, he realized with surprise—wanted Zuko to get better. After everything that had happened to him in the prison...no one should have to go through that.

The sun began to set behind the treetops. Aang fell asleep by the fire with Momo curled up next to him, and Toph's soft but steady breaths sounded a few minutes later.

Sokka looked over to his sister who was kneeling at Zuko's feet, evaluating his breathing. She hadn't left his side for hours. He went to her and set his hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of whatever thoughts she had been in. "Hey," he said.

She gave him a small smile. "Hey."

"Doing alright?"

"Yeah, he seems to be improving—"

"I'm talking about you." He looked back at two youngest members of their team. "You've been up since early this morning."

"So have you."

"I'm older so I can go longer without sleep. That's how that works."

"Um—"

"C'mon, there's a toasty blanket with your name on it." More seriously, he added, "I'll let you know if I need your help."

Taking one more look over at Zuko, she nodded and let him guide her to a patch of blankets by the fire beside Aang. "Sure you'll be okay by yourself?" she said, already laying down and closing her eyes.

Sokka looked up at the sky and saw the faintest sliver of the moon. "Yeah, I'll be okay."

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Sokka tended the fire as the benders slept, but couldn't help gazing back at the moon's clear reflection in the water. Day ends with sunset./Moonrise dawns and faces me./Love returns anew. He smiled faintly, remembering the few good days at Ba Sing Se.

And remembering the girl he couldn't save.

He never felt like she was watching him, but he found comfort in the moon's bright light nonetheless. Oh, Yue. What would you say, seeing me help him? The person who had a hand in your death?

Everyone needs help at some point in time, he imagined her voice speaking to him.

But he doesn't deserve it.