Borealis: A Zutara Story

Chapter 249

“But it was Honorable Great-Great-Grandmother Nini and Honorable Great-Grandfather Roku! I saw them!” Zuko insisted.  “They were there. One of the former sages said I’m cursed. I am a Prince of the Fire Nation but I wasn't born on an auspicious day in middle of the summer. I was born at night on a full moon.  My favorite place at the palace is the Turtleduck Pond. I’m named after Nini's son."

Zuko's speech slowed and his voice lost all of the agitation from earlier, "I’m a misfit. I was banished for three years and I felt more at home on the Albatross with strangers than I did at home with my own family. The only place I felt any peace was on deck talking to the moon in the middle of the ocean. I feel more at home with you than my own fiancée. I don’t belong anywhere with anybody."

"Maybe I belong with Fire Lady Nini and Avatar Roku. They came all the way from the spirit world to visit me,” Zuko grew quiet and Katara was hoping he’d fallen asleep. He called her name putting an end to that hope, “Katara?”

She sighed, “Yes Zuko?”

His words were hesitant as if spoken with deliberation, “Am I dead?”

“What?”  She yelped.

“Am I dead?” he repeated somberly.

“No, Zuko. Why would you ask that?” she replied, not bothering to mask the frustration in her voice.

“I saw my ancestors. Everything went black earlier and I think I went to the spirit world. I heard your voice calling me back and I think I saw Lu Ten. I’m not sure but I think he pushed me back into the mortal realm," Zuko explained.

Katara rolled her eyes and huffed, “Zuko if you were dead why would I be here with you?”

His answer was barely above a whisper, “Because you’re dead too.”

“I died during my treatment. Did they kill you Katara or did you do it yourself because you knew what they would do to you?” Zuko asked rolling over to look at her. “I’m sorry all of the terrible things I did were to protect you weren’t enough. I promise to make our afterlife happy. We’ll find our child and our Moms and we’ll be a real family.”

Katara’s eyes widened; she had sworn several times on everything she believed in that she would die after killing Zuko even if it meant they shared their last breath. If she were dead it would explain the hellishness of her current situation. She placed a pillow at the head of the bed and leaned back on it. Zuko took the action as a silent invitation to stretch out and lay his head on her shoulder. She caressed the cheek wasn’t against her, “You should be in pain.  Are you hurting?”

“I’m dead. Why would I hurt?” he asked.

“You aren’t dead, Zuko,” Katara sighed, sliding her lower half forward to get more comfortable. “Neither am I. We’re alive.”

“Are you sure?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Katara answered as she closed her eyes. “If I were dead I would be with Mom and nowhere near you.”

Katara was almost asleep when Zuko spoke again, “Maybe I am dead and this is my heaven?”

“I’ve done nothing to deserve this Hell,” Katara mumbled without opening her eyes or bothering to look at him.  “This isn’t your version of heaven either. If it truly were your heaven I’d want to be with you. You wouldn’t be injured. I’d be expecting or we’d be parents if not both. You would be Fire Lord and your father would have vanished to the darkest part of Koh's Lair with Azula.”

“Go to sleep Zuko. You’re tired. Ty Lee did something so your body isn’t registering pain right now. You should rest before it starts hurting.  She did the same thing to me too. We’re going to be miserable later and I’m not sure if we can have medicine,” Katara advised while stifling a yawn.

“But Granny Nini and Grampy Roku,” Zuko whimpered mimicking the names Mu’s parents preferred to be called by their grandchildren.

“Granny Nini and Grampy Roku want you to take a nap like a good boy. If you do they’ll bring Fang and fire flakes by later,” Katara muttered.

“What’s Fang?” Zuko mumbled as he made himself more comfortable on top of her. “Is it tasty?”

“Fang is Roku’s dragon,” Katara explained tiredly.

“Why would I want to see his? I have one of my own,” Zuko pouted.

Katara laughed in spite of herself, “Not that kind of dragon you pervert. The animal with fangs, claws, and wings that roars and breathes fire.”

“Oh, mine doesn’t do those things,” Zuko said somewhat disappointed. “I guess that’s a benefit of being an Avatar; you get extra stuff and not just testicles.”

In the midst of her laughter, Katara was reminded of Amnak’s words.  I do not have to tell you that your mother and I are two very different women, but we have one very important thing in common. We realized that the key to a happy life is to find a man who can make you laugh to the point you forget you were ever angry and seriously thought of killing the idiot.  

As she giggled her way into slumber, it flashed briefly across Katara’s mind that Zuko was the same type of idiot.