Melted Gold

I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me -Unwell, Matchbox Twenty

Zuko slipped in and out of reality. One moment he would be in searing pain, and the next he would be so numb he couldn't tell if he was alive or dead...
Fever dreams clouded his head, and pulled him deeper into the darkness. He'd cry out, but wasn't sure if he dreamt that as well or not. Either way, he doubted anyone could hear him...
Nightmares racked his sleeping and waking moments. Somewhere deep in his head he knew he was hallucinating, but the fever made them seem so real...
Zuko tried to be tough, tried to stay strong. But the pain was just too much. He'd give anything for it to end...even his life...

---

"Can't we just heal him?" It wasn't the first time the question had been voiced, but again it seemed as if they had already tried several times already. But still, they were clinging to that one shred of hope that they could help him break the fever in some way.

"We've tried…" Katara let out a sigh as she ran her fingers through Zuko's sweat soaked hair. "If anything it's only making things worse…" Lifting her head slightly, Katara had found Sokka across the clearing in the process of sharpening his boomerang. He did pause momentarily to look up at them at Katara's words. Though when he found his sisters sapphire blue eyes on him, he quickly diverted his gaze back to his own project.

"Isn't there anything else we can do for him at least?"

This time it was Aang's words that reached Katara's ears. Again, she broke her gaze away from the slumbering Firebender to meet Aang's eyes. Slowly, she shook her head. "I'm afraid not…" she trailed off after this, feeling at loss of words now. She wasn't about to give up on Zuko, but at the same time she had done everything she could for him.

"Lets just leave him for the night," Toph suggested. "We've done everything we can. We'll check on him tomorrow morning and see if we can get some food in him."

"If he makes it through the night…" Sokka muttered ominously.

---

Another day, and another night went by, and still Zuko's fever did not weaken it's hold on him. Katara was becoming increasingly worried. Sokka continued to mock their efforts, but they tried everything they could, and wouldn't give up.
On the third night, Katara went to bed reluctantly. She'd not left Zuko's side all day, and he had not improved at all. She wanted to cry. Maybe he really wouldn't make it...

Late that night, after all the others were asleep, Sokka pulled himself out of bed, and went to lay beside Zuko. His forehead almost touched the Firebenders, and even at this distance he felt the heat the boy was radiating. Together they formed an L shape, Zuko nestled against Appa, and Sokka staring worriedly into the older boy's face.
Despite his jibes and pessimistic misgivings, he really didn't know how he would handle it if Zuko died.
"Come on, Princey," Sokka whispered to him, "You gotta get through this." His voice was choked when he added, "We need you..."

---

Sokka woke the next morning and immediately looked to Zuko. He prayed the boy made it through just one night, just one more night. They could only take things one day at a time right now. It was the only way...
But Sokka was surprised when he saw Zuko's face. It wasn't so red anymore. The fevered crimson flush was starting to fade!
Sokka gasped as he sat up.
Zuko was breathing normal too!
Sokka hesitated, but dared to reach out his hand toward the Firebender's forehead.
He nearly shouted in relief.
Zuko wasn't burning up anymore.
His fever had broken.

"Katara! Aang! Toph!" Over and over he called happily to the others to wake them up, but he still didn't leave Zuko's side. "Guys wake up!'

Katara was the first to reach his side, and instantly she knelt down next to Zuko, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked warily.

"Feel him!" Sokka urged his sister, "He's not hot anymore."

At this, Katara seemed slightly surprised, and instantly her sleepiness had disappeared as she reached down and felt Zuko's forehead. He didn't feel so hot anymore. In fact, for once in the passed three days he wasn't burning up to the point that you would have to withdraw your hand as if afraid of getting burned. His fever had actually broke during the middle of the night.

Relief had spread through her entire body as she felt Zuko's now cool skin. No longer would he be burning up from the fever. He broke through the fever, pushed it away as if it had been nothing at all. He had fought it off despite Sokka's jibes about how he wouldn't even make it through the night. In spite of everything he had been through during the passed couple of nights, Zuko had broke through the fever. He was finally going to be okay.

Aang and Toph quickly joined them around Zuko, but it wasn't Katara that got to share the good news. The moment the other two approached, Sokka had shouted out the good news. The others seemed relieved by the good news, but none of them were as relieved as Katara had been about hearing Zuko was going to be okay.

"You did it, Z." she said almost in a whisper as she ran her fingers through his hair again. The others were walking off, all in which were now complaining that they needed breakfast. "You got through this."

There wasn't anything else they could do now except wait. He would be waking up soon and would need something warm to eat. Perhaps it was time to get some breakfast going. By the time it was done Zuko would be waking up for the first time in four days. Everything would soon be okay and back to normal…

Normal…But that meant…Surely not…After everything they did…He wouldn't…

The thought came from out of nowhere, but the moment it had reached her she couldn't force it away again.

After everything they had did for him, what if he was still after Aang? They had spent so long trying to avoid the exiled Prince all because he was trying to get Aang so that he could reclaim his title as Prince of the Fire Nation. But after everything they had did trying to get his fever down and helping him…What if he was still after Aang? It was after all Katara that had practically begged the others to accept that he needed help. If it hadn't been for her Zuko would be dead by now. But if he was still after Aang…

No…She couldn't allow the thought to go any deeper. They had so far taken everything a day at a time. They would simply have to cross that bridge when it came. All Katara could do was hope it wouldn't come anytime soon.

"Katara!"

Sokka's whining from across the clearing reached her at once and instantly she turned her eyes to him.

"I'm hungry!" he complained.

"I'm coming!" Katara stood, taking one last look at Zuko before turning away from him and walking over to the fire that the others had managed to start.

A/n: I should mention a few of these scenes came from the roleplay myself and KikutaMaster started over the summer. Like the dream, and then the thing with Zuko and Sokka.