||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Long story short, I wrestled with this one for the last week or so. I couldn't figure out how to write something fluid in the week or so after my friend's death: as we all recover and learn to shoulder on, I am starting to get back into things here with Vertigo. Fortuitously, I found I had actually completed Chapter 21 some time ago. It's now here, and I hope you like it.

||| Chapter Twenty-One

The walls continued to tremble and heave, grinding precious inches closer to one another with a horrendous lurch. Katara started for an instant, her breath catching in her throat and starving her exhausted lungs. Against her will, she slowed to a brief halt, trying to make sure that what she had seen was not an illusion.

The truth was as inescapable as the pressing castle walls. Katara scarcely had the time to turn half way when a spread of fireballs came arcing towards her, filling the shrunken passageway in their lurid glow. In the narrow, confined space, the waterbender dropped to her knees and cowered, feeling the air around her suddenly heat to unbearable levels.

She looked up, seeing Azula advancing at a leisurely pace towards her. Fire sparked from her fingertips in cruel, mocking spurts of azure blue. The sight of the princess awakened an unreasoning fear in Katara, who scrambled back to her feet, collapsing against a wall for support as she shrunk away from the firebender.

"W-what are you d-doing here?" Katara stammered, hating herself for the tremble in her voice. "Y-you're s-still far from the m-mainland! I saw you on the d-docks m-myself!"

"Yes, yes, I've heard it before," Azula answered, stopping leisurely where she stood, playing with a small ribbon of flame between her fingers. "If you haven't guessed already, I saw you, too, and that's how I found you. And that's why you're here—or don't you remember yesterday?"

"Y-yesterday?"

"Oh, how sad…this all must be a bit too much for you." The princess mocked Katara with every word, her voice laden with a patronizing, honeyed tone. "Then again, I should've realized that and all, what with you having run beneath the palace. There's no water down here, you know…"

Katara froze, casting out with her senses to confirm the awful truth. I-I'd been so scared earlier t-that I didn't even think to use my bending…but…she's…oh no… A feeling of utter helplessness rose up within her like an ironic tidal wave, bearing her upon its merciless crest towards the limits of her endurance.

"Run while you can, little waterbender!" Azula taunted, and abruptly the ball of flame forming in her fist flared into a great burst of azure. Katara yelped, diving backwards to avoid being incinerated. The flagstones just before her glowed crimson, bathing her blue dress in a bloody light. As the conflicting lights faded away and smoke began to rise, she pelted down the hall as fast as her shaking legs could carry her.

A harsh glow cast long shadows in front of her as more blue flames erupted from the smokescreen behind her, impacting dully against the passage walls. The fires behind her seemed to be scorching her lungs, each breath coming in ragged, painful heaves. Her strength was almost gone, and then, she would be defenseless.

All at once, a sharp tingle ran through her entire body, bringing Katara to a sudden stop. Astonished, she raised one weary arm, feeling a sharp response from the chi still coursing through her body. Water! she realized, quickening her step in a surge of determination. The pull was a small one, but even the smallest help could get her to freedom.

Seconds later, Katara stumbled into a dim chamber, with only a lone torch holding back the darkness. Katara swallowed her rising fear, keeping it back with the last of her strength. Her eyes scanned through the murk, trying to pinpoint the tiny signature drawing her chi. The faintest sparkle of firelight revealed her water, and Katara's eyes lit up with delight.

Set at the base of a wall, a cask of water glistened with its precious contents. Although only partially full, Katara summoned the barrel's water towards her with a sweep of her arms. The ribbon of fluid coated her arms in a thin film of water, invigorating the waterbender with a rush of energy. With her senses sharpening, Azula's footsteps came into focus.

With a thrust of one arm, Katara sent a long lash of water streaking back through the corridor, catching Azula just in the moment of rounding the corner. Her eyes narrowed with satisfaction as the attack honed in on its target. Already, she was rushing forwards along with it, keeping pace and preparing to fire her other reserve of water.

Before she could so much as blink, she found herself engulfed in acrid smoke, rushing into a smokescreen with no means of clearing her vision. Startled, Katara threw herself backwards, barely dodging a wave of flame that seared over her field of vision. Falling back to the floor, she struggled to marshal her water into a cohesive defense.

Yet something went very wrong. At that instant, Katara felt a second surge of energy flood her body, easing the weak tremors that wracked her body. Simultaneously, the halo of water around her glowed a brilliant white, before the water faded to an ugly, sickened black. The exhausted fluid crashed to the ground, seeming to adhere directly to the stone surface.

Katara threw one arm in a slashing motion, willing a whip to cut through the rapidly dissipating smoke. To her horror, the water from before had transformed to a viscous, oily sludge. The limp element refused to respond to her command, leaving her helplessly splayed beneath a smirking Azula.

"Now, look what we have here." Azula's smirk pierced the waterbender to her very core, a wave of cold washing over numb limbs. The princess jabbed towards Katara in quick succession, causing Katara to flinch away, her eyes shut tightly to shield against the inevitable blast of fire.

Instead, a deep rumbling shook the corridor, before two spires of rock slid up from the floor below, pinning the waterbender in place. Shocked, Katara looked up at Azula, shivering in fear of the unknown.

"E-earthbending?" she stammered in disbelief. All at once, her eyes were drawn from the princess to a single droplet of the blackened water, disturbed by the impossible earthbending. The single bead slid down the stone pillar to touch the bare skin of her forearm.

Katara pitched forward into darkness, nauseating, debilitating vertigo overwhelming her.

When she came to, her entire body was aching with the force of some immense blow. Her vision swam as her eyes slid open, forced to close them immediately against an overwhelming glare. Moaning groggily, she struggled to sit up, her head swimming with dark memories.

What…w-what could it have meant…? she wondered, shivering in the overwhelming cold surrounding her. T-the palace…h-her…and that black…water… She trembled again, the memory of the familiar suddenly turned alien and strange. Over it all floated Azula's mocking image, with en evil smirk that sent ice through her veins.

She was suddenly aware of warm hands holding her sides, sending gentle pulses of heat to comfort her. Struggling, Katara cracked her eyes open, seeing now a blur of dark red on one side. She blinked several times, the image sharpening to reveal a concerned Zuko, cradling her limp form in two strong arms.

"You…the…wrong?" The words were strange and distorted, and she stared uncomprehendingly at the firebender's face. Dimly, she felt herself being shake, only to snap awake when Zuko suddenly raised his voice. "…snap out of it, Katara!"

"Z…zuko? What're you doing?" Katara tried to sit up, finding to her surprise that Zuko's grip was holding her in pace, and the prince was guiding her back down into her previous position. "Why am I…?"

"You had a nightmare," the prince explained, never letting up on the constant heat and pressure he was applying. "I heard you thrashing, but then you fell right out of your bunk. You're just lucky that there were some mats on the floor there."

Katara nodded weakly towards Zuko, her voice soft and exhausted. "Or I'm lucky to have made an…a…friend like you." Inwardly, her mind was scrambling to piece together the last night, turning up both nightmares and yet also another realization, one far more unsettling.

…this feels…too good, she realized, wishing she could simply be protected from the morning's inevitable chill by Zuko's gentle grip. Her eyes drifted closed again in spite of her best efforts, and she slumped into Zuko's arms.

No…you can't seriously like him… part of her continued to ask, trying to deny an obvious truth. Contemplating this Katara distantly heard herself ask, "Zuko…could you heat up the room a little? It's a bit cold without the blankets…"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. It may be morning, but's not all of it. Katara hates the heat…so why ask for it? Nevertheless, he looked up and exhaled a puff of hot air, dragging up the temperature bit by bit. In his arms, he felt Katara tense, before lapsing back into an exhausted calm. Her eyes drifted shut, her breath steadying and even.

For almost an hour, the two stayed sitting on the mat. Inwardly, Katara still fought to sort out her confused feelings, but each and every time she tried, Zuko would seem to send another wave of warmth through her.

H-his…fault for being…so distracting… she thought absently, surrendering again to the pleasant sensation. I can't stay all day…but it's just early morning…I can't hear anyone else…and it's good to have someone there for me…

An image of Aang's crestfallen face flashed through her thoughts, and Katara felt a sudden rush of guilt. I don't want to hurt him…but it's not even like we're…you know. But…with Zuko? Could that even…?

"Katara?" the prince enquired, feeling the passing tremor. Never opening her yes, Katara gave a slow nod again, rolling slightly to one side.

"Nothing, Zuko…" She paused, letting a long silence fall again before finishing. "…thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"We'll be arriving at the capital very early tomorrow morning," Zuko informed Katara as they ascended to the deck. "If we can avoid storms, we might get there late tonight." The waterbender blinked against the bright sunlight, turning to face the ship's stern.

"No chance of that," she replied gloomily, pacing over to the ship's rail. "The sea…it's shifting behind us. We're in for another tempest." The waterbender breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of the sea. Spray misted her skin, leaving a light sheen on the crimson Fire Nation garb she wore. She threw her arms wide, letting the refreshing winds play through her lighter clothes.

Zuko watched as the waves rejuvenated Katara's spirit, helping shed the dark terrors of the night before. Yet from memory, he knew that the waterbender's fears could only be temporarily allayed by the world above. Inevitably, her memories will haunt her in her dreams...

"Can you do anything about it?" Zuko gestured back towards the vessel's wake, at the faintest hint of darkness against the horizon.

"Well..." Katara hesitated. "We have to find somewhere hidden…but I think so. We'll have to go down to the cargo hold."

"Alright—the sooner, the better." As the pair made back for the hatchway, the prince noticed Katara dropping steadily further back, her pace slowing. "Katara?"

The waterbender shook her head. "N-nothing. Come on, let's get below."

Zuko could only watch with admiration, feeling the ship accelerate in burst after burst as Katara bent the water around the ferry. Her feet were wide apart, and the waterbender pulled her arms through a magnificent arc, shifting huge volumes of water with each great sweep.

She paused for a moment, both of them listening through the carefully opened series of hatches to the surprised calls of the deck officers. No one was complaining, however, and Katara went back to her work, bending the very ocean to her will. Against the background humdrum and chatter, she could hear the waves responding to her command.

The firebending prince sat uselessly to one side, marveling at Katara's incredible strength. The only reason the Water Tribe isn't winning now is because we fight by land…not so much by sea. Crush the Fire Nation navy, and we will rebuild it. Break the army, and…order is gone.

His thoughts were jarred when an exhausted and sweaty Katara sat down next to him on a crate of supplies, breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling quickly. "I'm…exhausted," she murmured, unconsciously leaning sideways until her head rested on Zuko's shoulder.

In spite of herself, she smiled slightly when the prince tensed before accepting Katara's touch with a soft sigh. Hesitantly, he reached with one arm and put it around the waterbender's shoulder, then allowing it to slip down to her side.

"You did well," he offered simply, lapsing into silence. For a long time, he held Katara, allowing her to rest after the long period of strenuous bending. Her breathing slowed, finally settling to a comfortable resting rate.

Zuko started once he realized Katara had dozed off. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of waking the girl up, before deciding against it. She needs a good rest too…something without nightmares or memories. Breathing in and out, he sent a steady pulse of heat through his hand at intervals.

The prince blinked when Katara shifted in her sleep, trapping his hand beneath her elbow and pulling closer. Even as a firebender, Zuko could feel his cheeks burning. At the same time, he was loath to release the feisty waterbender from in his arms. This is for her sake, he reasoned. Besides, Uncle Iroh also said to be…courteous. At least, that's what he'd say about this. Somewhat nervous, he drummed at the seat with his free hand.

The ferry shuddered, piercing a particularly large wave with its blunt prow and driving through in a cloud of spray. The resulting shock nearly threw the twosome from their seats, a deep groan emanating from the ship as it slipped into a trough.

A surge of vertigo from even that brief fall instantly awoke Katara, who found herself unable to move. Just as she began to panic, she became suddenly aware of the close grip holding her steady. For a second, she fought the urge to jump straight in the air, blushing a deep red at her embarrassing position.

W-what was I thinking? With Zuko? Oh spirits, I must be… she trailed off, finding that the expression on Zuko's face was not just flustered, but also concerned. The argument that would get her far, far away from this distraction melted on the spot, replaced by a desire to return to that blissful warmth. A deep weariness settled on her limbs like leaden weights as she contemplated her restless sleep.

"…Zuko?" she ventured into the awkward silence. Zuko gave a low grumble of acknowledgement, looking into Katara's yes. A shy, hopeful smile flit across her face, and she gave a weak, nervous chuckle. "…hold me again?"

"…okay," he answered simply. Katara gratefully settled back into his embrace. And within moments, she was asleep again, blissfully unaware of the faintest hint of slate gray touching the horizon ahead.