Zutara - Hidden Love

At Times We Hurt ~ Part 6

Zuko POV

Please wake up Katara. I will die without you. "Is she going to wake up?" I was so worried. The nurse nodded. "She lost a fair bit of blood. Her body is just focusing on healing itself." I sighed with relief. "The blood we are giving her will help. She should wake up soon." I sat down on the edge of the bed and held her hand, waiting for her to wake up. I sat there waiting for about another 10 minutes, then she started to move. I looked up at her. "Katara? Katara, can you hear me?" She just groaned. I placed my hand on her cheek. "Baby please wake up for me." I pleaded to her. She slowly opened her eyes and tried to sit up.

She winced in pain and gave up trying to move. "Wh-what happened?" "You don't remember?" I'm not sure if I should be worried about that. She just shook her head. "Mai attacked you after we left my room. She got you in the back of your shoulder with one of her daggers. You lost a fair bit of blood." She frowned. I think she was remembering bits of what happened. She cuddled up to me and went back to sleep.

Katara POV

I woke up feeling so out of sorts. Everything hurts. I don't even know where I am. I could hear someone saying my name. I tuned in to it. It was Zuko, trying to get me to wake up. I slowly opened my eyes. He had such a worried look on his face. I tried to move but it hurt so much. I decided to stay put where I was. "Wha-what happened?" "You don't remember?" I just shook my head. I don't really remember anything. All I remembered was waking up in Zuko's room really sore. Then he said something about Aang leaving?

"Mai attacked you after we left my room. She got you in the back of your shoulder with one of her daggers. You lost a fair bit of blood." That explains why my shoulder hurts so much. I can't process this right now. Everything hurts and I feel so light headed. I just cuddled up to him, and instantly fell asleep.

Zuko POV

I sent word to our friends about what happened with Katara. Within minutes they were all pilling into the room, all looking half asleep. They all started demanding the full story, and not quietly. "Ssshh!" God damn they were gonna wake her up. They instantly shut up realizing why they needed to keep quiet. "Right, now please I know this is frustrating and everything but just hear me out and keep your voices low. Last night after dinner we went back to my room."

Hakoda glared at me. "She was going to do another heeling session on my burn, I stepped away to the bathroom for a minute, and while I stepped away Aang came knocking at my door. Katara answered the door just as I was returning, then she got flung across my room into the foot board of my bed instantly knocking her unconscious. The impact also fractured her wrist. Aang freaked out and took off after he seen what he did. He was expecting me to answer the door not her. I sent a guard to retrieve a nurse then to try and track down Aang. All they turned up was a note.

We were coming to see you all when Mai out of revenge attacked Katara. She threw a dagger into the back of her shoulder. She again lost consciousness, her body couldn't handle everything. I took down Mai then brought Katara here and now you are all here." I handed Sokka Aang's note, he read it then passed it around. Katara was still cuddled up to me sleeping. "Has she woken up at all?" Suki piped in. Everyone was processing all the information they just received. "Yeah she did briefly. She lost lots of blood, so she didn't stay awake for more than a couple of minutes." Suki smiled. "She's going to be alright though?" I nodded.

"She just needs rest. Her body needs to heal." "Fuck man, you're like a bad luck charm." Sokka couldn't contain himself. "Each attack was either aimed at you or because of you." He added. "Believe me I know... It's all that's been going through my mind. I blame myself entirely for this." "Could someone you know, read the note to the blind girl!" I didn't even notice Toph, she was standing in the back real quietly. Suki stepped back to read the note to her. Having found out what they wanted to know, and seeing that Katara was alright they all slowly departed. All except Hakoda.

He walked up to Katara and I, and brushed a bit of hair off of her face. This made her flinch but she didn't wake up. "You do see that she is hurt because of you right?" I dropped my head in shame. "I know sir." "You better not turn into a pussy, and walk away from her because you got her hurt a couple of times." What? Is he serious? "I would never leave her, no matter what. I love her and I'm always going to love her. All I can do is do more to protect her." He smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. But if you try to protect her too much, you will get a rude awakening and she will tell you to stick it. That's not how she was raised." We both started laughing.

He was right and I know it. "And please take her out of this dreadful room. I'm not stupid I know she has stayed at least one night in your room. I don't want her staying in here over night. She needs to be somewhere safe and comfortable." Wow, who knew he would ever say any of that. I nodded. "You keep my baby girl safe!" With that he left. All of a sudden Katara sat up and threw up on the blanket...

Katara POV

I do not feel well at all! Fuck. I sat up but couldn't stop myself. I puked all over the blanket. "I'm so sorry." I can't believe I just did that. I'm so embarrassed! "Hey it's fine don't worry!" Zuko kissed my cheek. "I'll go get the nurse. Then we're going back to my room okay?" I was a little confused but nodded anyway. He left then came back im less than a minute with the nurse in tow. "I'm sorry." I pleaded as she walked in. "It's fine, its just from your mild concussion." She said with a smile. "Could you help her out of the bed, and then I'll get it cleaned up and remade."

"Ah actually, I want her moved to my room. It's a lot safer there and more comfortable for her." "She's still receiving meds and blood though." The nurse didn't seem to want me to take her away. "Fire lord are you sure you want to do that?" "Seriously it's been a long day. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I'm immensely pissed off also. So as I said. I want Katara moved to my room, now. She is not spending the night in here. Any check ups needed can be done in my room. Please."

The nurse looked really shocked but even so she just nodded. I started to get dizzy and could feel myself swaying on my feet. I grabbed onto Zuko's arm to hold myself up. He turned to look at me. "Are you okay?" He gently placed his hand on my cheek. I nodded then nearly fell over again. "I think I need to sit down." Then the floor came up very quickly.

Zuko POV

She was fine and talking then she got really wobbly on her feet. Then she just dropped. I managed to catch her before she hit the ground. "She can't even stand up for more than 5 minutes without passing out and you want to move her?" I was getting more pissed off by the minute. I stood up and picked Katara up. "Yes I am going to move her. And you are going to do your job and help her. She needs to be where she feels safe and comfortable. I don't want to hear another word about keeping her here. You will tell me how to keep an eye on her. And you will make sure there is a nurse available at all times if it just so happens they are needed. Now please organize everything she needs so I can move her. Thank you."

I didn't want to get mad, but I have had enough of everyone today. The day went so great. Then it just had to end like shit. The nurse complied and prepped Katara to be moved. We moved her to my room and I tucked her into bed. The nurse set up her drips with the blood and meds. Gave me a couple of instructions then left us for the night. It was now like 2am and I am so fucking tired. I crawled into bed beside Katara. Then I had a thought. I need to get her a bowl in case she's sick again. I quickly found a bowl, put it on the bedside cabinet beside her then climbed back into bed beside her.

I gently pulled her closer to me and she laid her head on my chest and slept peacefully. She slept for a while, and I got a little bit of sleep. Then she was up throwing up again. I groggily sat up and rubbed her back. She managed to get it all in the bowl which was good. When she was sure she was done I took the bowl and cleaned it for her.

She was still awake when I walked back into the room. "You okay?" She nodded. "I'm so sorry." I sat down beside her. "For what?" "For you having to look after me." I laughed. "And what have you been doing for me everyday since the war?" She smiled. "Right, I'm tired, really tired. I need to sleep. Now get your cuddly butt over here and cuddle." This made her laugh. We cuddled up together and went back to sleep.