A Different Destiny

Chapter 12

She found herself outside the room she had been held in before, hoping that Zuko would already be there. She needed to talk to someone. Unfortunately, there was no one around. Katara slid down the wall, sinking to the floor. She would wait, as long as Chief Arnook was being honest he would turn up eventually.

After what Katara guessed to be was two hours she heard the echoes of footsteps down the hall, rhythmically timed. Seconds later a group of ten soldiers appeared around the corner. In the center was a disheveled looking Zuko. He had quite a bit of bruising, Katara hoped that it was from before and that he wasn't being mistreated. "Katara!" He exclaimed when he caught sight of her on the floor.

The lead guardsman immediately stopped, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk to Zuko." she said shortly.

"Who authorized that?"

"No one, we can talk in that room and you all can stand guard. Perfectly safe."

The guardsman paused and for a moment she thought he might say no. "Fine, but his hands stayed tied during the visit."

Katara threw him a nasty look but nodded. One of the guardsman opened the door and shoved Zuko through the threshold. After Katara was in the room the door was slammed shut and she could hear the click of a lock. Whatever, this wasn't an escape meeting.

Zuko turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"

For a moment she was lost for words, she looked upon him, tears streaming down her face unable to form the words. His face fell and he approached her slowly so they were standing almost face to face. Still she said nothing. With his hands bound he gently reached up and wiped away the tears on her cheek.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused." he said softly.

And in that moment she broke. She let out a sob and fell to her knees. All of the stress, the pain, and the disappointment from the last few weeks came crashing down on her. She gasped for air feeling as though she were drowning in the middle of the frigid waters of the North Sea. Zuko followed her to the floor and did his best to pull her onto his lap. He said nothing, but having him there was the only thing keeping her tethered to this world at the moment.

When she was finally able to speak she sat to face him. "It's Aang, they said-" she stopped, unable to get the words out.

"Katara it's okay, just breathe."

"But it's not okay, Aang is going to die! And the healers can't do anything about it." A look of shock spread across Zuko's face. He like Katara had saw the damage that Azula had done but they had all hung on to the hope that the Northern Water Tribe healers would be able to do something.

"Isn't there-"

"Didn't you hear me? They said there's nothing they can do. If the best healers in the world can't fix him, how is there any hope?"

A pained look crossed Zuko's face as he searched his brain for answers. Oddly enough, a few months ago Zuko would've been celebrating the downfall of the Avatar. But now it only made him feel sick to his stomach. "Wait, what about the spirit water stuff? A little bit of it saved him in Ba Sing Se, isn't there an entire pond of it somewhere?"

Katara's head snapped up. "Zuko!" You're right! I don't know why I didn't think of that." Katara's face lit up as she was given something new to hope for. "I don't think they've tried that. I have to go tell them, but I will be back I promise!" She reached over and hugged Zuko. In spite of herself she could feel the heat rush to her face at the contact.

"Thank you." she whispered in his ear and left.

Katara sprinted down the palace hallways and out the front door towards the healing hut. She wasn't sure where the Chief was but she knew Yagoda would be there. She burst through the door and called out "Yagoda! Are you here? Yagoda!"

"Goodness child, what is going on." Yagoda came from the other room followed by Chief Arnook. Good Katara thought, she could get both their approval at once.

"I have an idea, I know how we can save Aang! We need to heal him in the spirit pond!" A sad look crossed both their faces and a hush fell over the room. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything? When can we try it?"

"Katara." Chief Arnook said with pity in his voice. "There is nothing more to be done. I know the Avatar is also your friend but our best healers have done everything they can."

"But they haven't if they haven't tried the spirit water!"

He continued as if he hadn't heard her. "We have the best healers in the world here and they have been working on the Avatar since the moment you arrived. I know it's difficult but you have to accept what has happened. The best thing we can do now is wait."

Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing, had they lost their minds? Every moment wasted was another they could have used to help Aang. "Chief Arnook with all due respect why would we wait, you said it yourself he won't get better."

Chief Arnook paused and took a deep breath, "The time of the Air Avatar is coming to a close. The Northern Water Tribe and the entire world will always be grateful for his sacrifice. But we need to usher in a new era. The next Avatar will be of the Water Tribe and they are our best hope for ending this senseless war."

Katara's face dropped. They were going to let Aang die so they could be in control of a new Avatar.