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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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Chapter 311

Someone knocked on the door at what Katara guess was dinnertime. It was Ty Lee and she could tell the other girl had been crying. She carried a tray of covered dishes. She set it on the dresser next to the bed, "Eun Lee canceled dinner tonight. We ate what we made earlier. She's really upset that Eiji insisted on bringing those two along. I brought this for you and Zuko. Tamako made him more rice balls, Seon made the broth and Eun Su made the rice gruel. I made the dumplings. He probably won't be able to eat them but I know you like them. He was in bad shape the last time he really hurt someone.

"I'm glad he attacked Pol and Mao. They hurt a girl when they were at the Royal Academy. She was second class so nothing could really be done to punish them since both of their parents are first," Ty Lee realized Katara wouldn't know what the classes were so she explained, "First class are the acknowledged bastards of nobles who've been given their parents name. Third class are their children since most nobles arrange marriages between their illegitimate children. Second class are the children of nobles who don't get a name but receive support.

"Everyone knew whose child she was but because he hadn't claimed her she retained her mother's designation of commoner. He acknowledged her after that but nothing could be done since she was unacknowledged at the time it happened even though they drew pictures of the things they'd done to her. She ending up killing herself. They hadn't touched any of my nieces and nephews but Mao had told Seon Eiji was lucky to have so many pretty children.

"Mao would have done something. Mao's grandfather likes little boys. He has sex with him -- had sex with him," she corrected changing it to past tense. "He always said Mao was his favorite but he was getting older so he had started to bring younger boys in with them."

"That's the main reason Eiji brought him over here. Mao was not pure bloodline so it wasn't against the incest law. He wanted to get him out of that environment before it destroyed him but he ended up killing him because of the things he saw. Papa Qin stopped him before he could finish off Pol. He said Mao could be justified since he was still in a condition to harm his children but Pol is incapacitated and couldn't hurt anyone right now. If Eiji killed him it would be considered murder and he doubted if he or Hachiro could save him."

Katara tilted her head, "He's still alive?"

Ty Lee nodded, "Barely. I wish he was dead, but I'm glad Zuko didn't kill him. His aura is still damaged from stopping that woman who attacked you."

Ty Lee glanced over at her sleeping cousin, "His aura looks bad but it's calm. I'm glad you're taking care of him this time. He doesn't really trust us like he trusts you so there wasn't much Mai and I could do."

Katara nodded in relief that he hadn't gone through that ordeal totally alone. "I'll do what I can."

Ty Lee nodded and turned to leave but Katara stopped her, "Ty Lee, thank you for the food and for letting me know he's still alive. I'll tell Zuko."

Katara settled next to Zuko and stroked his hair, "Did you hear her?"

He opened his eyes. He hadn't been able to sleep so he kept them closed and pretended. Tears began to fall as he whispered, "He still might die thought. I still killed him only it's going to take longer."

Katara wrapped her arms around him and held him until he stopped crying. She checked the food when he got up to go to the restroom. She added more broth to the rice gruel until it was mostly liquid then carried both to the table next to their bed. She waited until he was settled in her arms again to ask him to warm then. Once the food was hot she lifted the cup to his lips, "Drink."

He shook his head, "I don't want to."

Katara took a small amount then pressed her lips against his. This time he opened his mouth and swallowed the liquid. She was able to feed him half of the gruel before he buried his head against her breast. "I'm sleepy Katara. I just want to rest."

She finished the rest then stroked his hair hoping this time it would work to keep away his nightmares. She'd drifted asleep when he started screaming. It took a while but she finally managed to calm him down. This time she helped him get dressed once he stopped crying.

"What are you doing?" he asked sleepily as she laced his shoes.

"I'm going to make sure you didn't kill him," Katara said as she put on her own clothes.

"But Katara he-" Zuko protested.

"I know Zuko, I'm not going to fully heal him just make sure he doesn't die because of what you did. Once he gets better someone else can kill him," Katara replied logically.

"Is this something you want me to do," she asked quietly.

Zuko nodded. The two of them stepped out of his room and Katara led him to the infirmary. She peeked in the window then walked in when she saw Amayu on duty.

The doctor appeared tired as she wrapped bandages over a completely burned body.

"Have you eaten?" Katara asked.

"Vegetables. Hard to eat meat considering," she said waving gesturing towards her patient. "Oh well that's what the bastard gets drawing those types of pictures of a Firebender's children. He's lucky it wasn't Eun Lee otherwise they're be no hope for him. She wouldn't have listened to War Minister Qin, incapacitated or not she would have incinerated him."

Zuko's eyes narrowed as he looked at the severely burned person, "Who is this?"

"Pol. What used to be Mao is over there" she explained pointing to burned smudge.

Zuko looked down at him, "I didn't do this, I only burned his arms and hands."

"No you did not," Amayu agreed. "Eiji did. Apparently these two never did anything without the other. He knew that Pol had to have known what Mao was planning."

Katara looked at him, "What damage did Zuko cause?"

"It really doesn't matter. We can't splint his broken bones or fully intubate him to repair his collapsed lung because of the burns. The only thing we could do was remove a portion of his skull so his brain would have room to swell."

"Which lung was collapsed?"

Amayu picked up the chart, "Left due to multiple broken ribs."

Katara lifted water from a nearby basin and held it in a straight line over his skin then pressed down. Once the skin and flesh had healed she was able to concentrate on his ribs. She repeated it twice only repairing the two of three impacting lung function. She waved her hand over his chest then slowly began moving it upwards, removing the fluid that had accumulated. She deposited it in the sink then washed her hands and removed the damp cloth covering the hole in his skull. She traced the area with a finger and removed a small amount of the swelling.

"Katara do you know what you're doing? Amayu asked.

"Yes. I'm saving his life. Now if he dies it's not because Zuko killed him. It's because he the burns he received were too bad or he simply didn't want to live."

"Katara don't. What if he?" Zuko asked quietly.

She shook her head but said nothing. After a beating like that it would be difficult for him to remember his own name. It would be a miracle if he were able to perform any higher level functions but she didn't want Zuko to bear that burden.

Amayu washed her hands and began mixing medicines, "Here this will help you sleep without the dreams."

Zuko stared at the vial, "The last time -"

"I changed the formula to account for that. It's mostly herbal tea leaves mixed with a few of the grains that have been boiled before drying and grinding to reduce their potency. It doesn't contain the juice," her voice softened and promised, "You'll wake up this time."

Katara gave her a puzzled glance and the doctor turned away from her. Her duo had originally been a trio - Meathead, I-Nag-Yu and Loose-Change. She was welcomed into Meathead's home with open arms, but never to the palace inhabited by Loose-Change. The Crown Prince, one of her closest friends, had assured her that if he brought her home there would be a certain expectation.

Amayu didn't get a chance to meet the runt Loose-Change spoke so proudly of until he'd carried his broken Waterbender into her infirmary. By then the runt's height surpassed both of theirs and little Zuko had grown into a different type of stupid than Loose-Change. I-Nag-Yu couldn't help but wonder whose grave her pregnant mother had pissed on to allow her such an intimate view of Agni's children and if her knowledge of the royals was a blessing or a curse.

Zuko reached for the vial and hesitated, "Dr. Amayu?"

She looked at the young prince and sighed, "Sometimes the scariest place in the world is our mind; unlike other places and things, our minds are one of the few things which are completely under our control. We just have to remember that whenever it tries to get out of hand."

Zuko's hand trembled as he took the vial. He stared at it and thanked her without looking at her face. He couldn't look at her face; if he did he'd ask questions that didn't need to be answered here.

Mu had told him Amayu was an old Army buddy from Wei's training days. Wei and Lu Ten were in the same training class; the two of them were inseparable. Zuko had wondered if the doctor also knew Lu Ten now he had confirmation. The words Amayu had just spoken were words Lu Ten often spoke to him. He said they were something a friend told him during basic training. A friend he trusted with his life.

"Zuko?" Katara called his name hesitantly.

The prince sent a questioning glance at Amayu before turning to Katara. "I...ah...it's been a long time since someone told me that. I needed to hear them."

Katara nodded. "Dr. Amayu is there anything else we need to know about this medicine? Does he need to eat first?"

Amayu looked up from her original patient, "Food would help; it's not necessary since the medicine will be diluted in water but considering his recent medical it is best to ensure his body is properly nourished. "

The doctor stopped wrapping the burned body to point at Katara, "And you, don't forget to eat properly, and get enough rest. Now get out of here!

"Now that there's a chance this bastard might live we need to follow clean room precautions," Amayu groaned.
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Borealis: A Zutara Story