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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 34026 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
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- 256
Chapter 252
A week and two days after the original surgery Zuko had healed enough for Amayu to feel comfortable touching his wounds with her hands. Most of them showed signs they would recuperate fully but five still had streaks coming from them and were tender when touched. Her face and voice were level but after spending so much time with her they were able to recognize a hint of sadness, “Prince Zuko we were not able to remove all of the foreign objects during the first procedure. It is critical we do it as soon as possible. You are showing signs of recovery but your body is still vulnerable. The bacteria in your body has been exposed to antibiotics and has begun forming a resistance against them. The ones we use this time will have to be stronger to ensure we kill it. The surgery will have to be more invasive. When would you like us to do it?”
Zuko’s shoulders slumped as he remembered what he’d heard several doctors say about the difficulty of treating blood poisoning. Drawing too much blood was dangerous, not drawing enough was fatal.
“Tonight. We’ll do it tonight,” Katara answered confidently.
“What? How can you say that?” Toshio questioned. “I agree it is better to do the follow up procedure sooner than later but too soon is just as dangerous.”
“He’s right. Zuko’s not strong enough. If we rush we may end up killing him,” Amayu admitted.
“No, it has to be tonight,” Katara repeated adamantly. It was noon but Katara could already feel the effects of the upcoming full moon. “He’ll be weak but I’ll be at full power. I can save him.”
“No, as a medical doctor I cannot allow it,” Toshio replied firmly.
“Katara I have full faith in your abilities, but I can’t allow it either. Prince Zuko is young, strong, and healthy but that isn’t enough to overcome the risks. We should wait three more days at least,” Amayu insisted.
“No, we have to do it tonight,” Katara argued, “The moon won’t be full three days from now.”
“Don’t I get a say in this?” Zuko questioned angrily.
“Of course you do, Prince Zuko. It is your health,” Amayu answered.
“Then we do it tonight,” Zuko said deciding to trust in Katara.
“You are under the effects of narcotics which have impaired your judgment you are not in possession of your full faculties and unable to make informed decisions regarding your treatment,” the Fire Nation doctor recited recanting her earlier statement.
“What are you afraid of?” Katara asked.
“He could die,” Amayu and Toshio responded in unison.
“Medically what are you afraid of and what actions can be taken to reduce them?” Katara asked rephrasing her question. “Is it infection, exsanguination, lack of circulation to his extremities, or that I will just let him die for what he has done to me?”
“If you would have asked me that question a few days ago I would have unequivocally stated my greatest fear was the later. I no longer have that fear but he is weak. Prince Zuko’s blood pressure has finally returned to a normal level. My greatest fear is that he will bleed out while we are treating him. Even with your control we would need to work at a rapid pace to contain the bleeding. We need a full surgical team to work at that speed,” Toshio admitted.
“I had to go for help last time Katara. Toshio will already be with us. If things go wrong there aren’t any more medical personnel that I trust,” Amayu confessed.
“Mu,” Katara mentioned earning a nod from Zuko.
“Mu is a veterinarian. He has no experience treating humans,” Amayu groaned.
“He does,” Zuko corrected. “He’s been volunteering at the Ursa House.”
“Prince Zuko those injuries are complicated in a different manner. Mu is one our country’s premier veterinarians and if he were older I might agree to it. He is good at what he does because he was raised among animals and taught from birth by our nation’s best. General Niu trained him and Wei from the moment they were able to breathe in the care and treatment of animals. Not humans, animals. I would allow Ty Lee to assist before I allowed him. She may be ditsy and unlicensed but at least she is trained in the care of humans.”
“So if we have Ty Lee and Mu assisting you will feel less apprehensive about doing it?” Katara asked quietly while looking at Zuko. He was frowning. He didn’t want either of his friends to see him in that condition.
The two doctors spoke for a moment then grudgingly agreed to do so. Ty Lee could monitor his aura for changes in his condition. Animal care provider or not Mu was knowledgeable in pharmacology. They accessed what they had in the room and made of list of what else they would need before agreeing to come back at midnight.
Zuko said nothing but Katara could tell by the set of his jaw and stiff posture he was angry. She settled between his knees on the floor in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his buttocks and placed her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat. She made no effort to stop her tears from falling. Zuko hand’s remained at his side. She sobbed harder when he didn’t put them around her. She knew then that he really was upset.
After a several minutes, Zuko finally yelled at her, “Why are you crying Katara? I don’t seem to recollect a reason for you to shed tears or am I so stupid that I missed it?”
Katara scooted closer and held him tighter when he began trying to push her away from him. “Get off me. Get off me stupid peasant.”
Katara shook her head and rose to her knees while grabbing his arms to wrap them around her as she managed to crawl into his lap. Zuko stilled when he realized what she was saying. It was in Fire Nation. “I’m crying because you won’t.”
“Stupid.” The word was insulting but his tone held no venom as the Fire Nation Prince finally embraced his Waterbender.
Zuko waited until she had stopped crying to speak to her, “Katara since you’re taking out the rest of the poison tonight can you heal me enough to go out?”
Katara was about to refuse then she saw the hope in his eyes. She’d been coming and going each morning and evening but Zuko had been trapped in the room. If he were seen it would lower suspicion that she had done something to him. She opened the antiseptic and mixed it with water before closing his wounds.
Zuko winced as skin was forcibly grown over his newly knitted flesh. He felt an immense sense of guilt as he looked at Katara; he wondered if this was what she felt each time she healed herself after he’d forced his way into her. He’d heard Bingwen and Amayu say more than once there was tearing in her vagina and concerns about scar tissue. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to his chest, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for all the times I’ve hurt you.”
Katara slid her arms around him letting her hands glide over her back. She’d missed this; the warmth she felt from being properly hugged and hugging Zuko.
“Let’s get dressed,” Zuko rasped reluctantly pulling his arms away from her. “If we stay in this position much longer we won’t be going anywhere.”

After they were properly attired they went to the restaurant. Ming sat them at the back table then brought them a pot of tea after taking their order. “It’s a new blend Jin helped me make. She’s never been interested in the finer points of tea but after the other day I think she realized she needs a hobby. She’s hurt but at least now after hearing what you said about Katara and seeing how close you two are she’s started to let go and move forward.”
“I’m glad. I never meant for any of this to happen and I never imagined I would-” Zuko trailed off a group of soldiers had come in and Jin was seating them in their section.
“Yes your majesty, right away,” Ming said bowing and rushing off to fulfill some imaginary demand. Based on her conversations with Jin and what she had seen she knew there was a difference in Prince Zuko the man and person his people expected him to be. She returned bearing a saucer of sweet biscuits, “This is a sample of our new dessert offerings. I hope they are to your liking.”
Katara was reaching for one of the light and airy objects when she felt someone staring at her. It was Jin; she was peeking around the corner. Zuko saw her as well. He smiled in her direction as he picked up the pastry and fed it to Katara. He waited until she had finished chewing to lick her lips and remove the crumbs. Katara threaded her hand in his hair holding him in place to fully kiss him. When they separated the Earth Kingdom girl was gone.
“Is it cruel that we just did that in front of her or kinder to dispel the illusion she’s created?” Zuko questioned as he laid his head against Katara’s shoulder.
“You’ve lived under the perceptions of others for years; which is better blindly following or seeking your own vision?” she replied nuzzling his cheek with hers.
Zuko sighed choosing not to answer the question. When he finally did speak it was to change the subject, “You know I would have done it tonight even if it were only me and you. I would have felt more comfortable.”
“I know but I am a healer Zuko. My knowledge of medicine is not as vast as theirs. What if I’d healed you but left a pebble? Blood poisoning is rare and treated differently in the Water Tribes. I’ve never seen it in such an advanced condition,” she smiled and poked him, “Most people aren’t as stubborn as the Prince of the Fire Nation and attempt to defeat illness by willpower alone. We mere mortals seek treatment when something is wrong.”
Zuko choked on the biscuit he was chewing as he laughed her. He took a quick swig of tea and replied, “Yes well the son of Agni is no mere mortal. I am comforted to know this is no mere illness that has taken me down as it requires direct intercedence from the daughter of the ocean and the moon.”
Zuko grew serious as he remembered a story he’d read in the forbidden section of library on one of the more radical scrolls. Agni is the sun god but each day he rose and retreated from his home in the darkness of the ocean. Kali, the goddess of the ocean, darkness, and death, guardian of the gateway to life was not a subordinate deity as they were commonly taught. She was his equal, his true wife and consort. Agni was the sun; Kali was the darkness and the ocean. They made love each night with Agni holding her above him so the entire world could see his devotion. The moon was formed as bits his brightness escaped from beneath her darkness. The phases of the moon varied according to their sexual position.
Their relationship, in which Agni loved her deeply but wronged her all the same then went to great lengths to apologize only to hurt her again was the foundation for Fire Nation romantic traditions. He was the son of the Fire Lord and crown prince, Agni dwelled within him. What if Katara was more than his perfect phoenix? What if she was indwelt by Kali, goddess of the water, darkness and moon, spiritual mate to the Agni inside him?
He was contemplating the likelihood that Agni’s consort would be reborn in the Water Tribes when their food arrived. Katara’s cooking was delicious but after days of broth, liver and easily digestible nutritious fare with a minimum choking hazard his thoughts were completely derailed by the feast of solid food placed in front of him. After their meal in which Katara had to remind him several times of Amayu’s warning to be mindful of what he was eating they went to the stables. Korhi was there but Sokka wasn’t. They found him as they were headed to the meadow. He was shirtless and doing manual labor in a newly cleared plot of land.
“You!” he screamed pointing at Zuko. “First you sic that skinny veterinarian on me and now this oversized thug!”
“Supply and acquisitions officer,” Zhao 2 corrected.
“Slavedrivers! Prisoners are supposed to sit in their comfy cells not spend all day shoveling animal crap and using it to fertilize this innocent piece of ground you’re forcing to be an evil Firebender feeding garden,” Sokka yelled kicking a clod of dirt at them.
Thinking he was playing, Korhi kicked one back, only hers was much larger.
“I hate each one of you,” Sokka said pointing at the humans and animals with him as he spoke the words.
Korhi paid him no mind, Zuko and Zhao 2 laughed but Katara only pretended to. Not even a game of water dragon tag with Korhi and being dunked by Zuko was enough to completely rid her mind of the image of Sokka saying the word hate as he pointed to her.
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Borealis: A Zutara Story