.x Shadows of My Heart x.

by. Kay Celestine

.

Day 1: Serendipity

(Discovering something nice while trying to find something else)

i. the one mission that started it all

Things rarely surprised her nowadays.

Her life had taken so many twists and turns, that the constant roller coaster of things forced her to expect anything and everything... and to be prepared for them.

So the fact of the matter was that Katara wasn't the least bit surprised when Zuko, now Fire Lord, had shown up at her doorstep asking her to accompany him and act at his right hand man in the search for his mother. Nor was she surprised when she learned that it was her and only her that Zuko would be needing. In fact, this was one thing that Katara knew for a fact that would happen. It was no secret that they had and did make a formidable team - Aang often teased that if Zuko had been on their side from the beginning, that between him and Katara, the war would have been won far sooner.

It was knowing this that made her decision a very swift one. She hadn't even blinked or paused from hanging the laundry when Zuko had told her they would be going stealth once more. Without even glancing at him, she agreed only asking when would they leave.

Naturally the rest of the team, and quite a few royal advisors, objected to the idea of the newly appointed Fire Lord and the waterbending mistress disappearing off into the night for, who knows how long, without even a guard nor a royal hawk to watch them. It was no secret that the mission to find the former Princess Ursa was by all means no simple overnight task and with the still war torn areas, it was not only difficult, but also highly risky and dangerous.

So to keep the peace, the two had agreed to allow a few highly trained guards, in addition to the protection and assistance of the avatar and the rest of their team. Not that that mattered since the duo disappeared before dawn without a single trace of their whereabouts left behind.

No that move was not surprising at all.

"Admit it Fire Lord Zuko, we're lost." Katara threw her pack to the ground in frustration. The carefully embroidered pack fell to the earth, ripping ever so slightly against the gravel and rocks. It was gift, it was something that she should have treasured, but at this point, she was lost in a forest, in a place far from her home and that only brought forth more frustration. She should be in her bed right now. Not in the middle of who knows where. "We're lost," Katara said once more, but this time to herself.

Zuko looked up at the frazzled waterbender, his eyes fixed into an icy glare. "We are not lost," he hissed before turning his attention back to the scroll. He could hear Katara scoff at him in the background, but chose to ignore her. It would only fuel an already lit fire.

What did he miss? Zuko ran his fingers across the scroll, his fingertips outlining the path that he had carefully mapped out. This was it. This was the only route that would lead them to the secret palace. This was the only route that could lead to place that Ozai had pointed him out...unless...

"He lied."

He should have known. "It was all a lie..." The Fire Lord looked at the scroll, his hands gripped so tightly to the parchment that the edges began to rip. His breathing slowedbut intensified - small billows of smoke escaped through his lips and onto the scroll.

Katara stopped for a moment, her anger temporarily forgotten. "Zuko," she said is a hushed voice as she slowly made her way over to him. "What are you talking about? Who lied?"

"He lied!" Zuko screamed as he ripped through the scroll, the flames erupting from his palms dancing wildly around him. Katara screamed as the flames came towards her, quickly waterbending a impromptu shield to quell the flames before being pushed by the sheer force to the ground.

"Zuko!" she screamed, the anger returning full blown. "What is your-"

It was a pitiful sight to behold really. And admittedly, it was a sight that no matter how many times she'd seen Zuko, and no matter how many memories and moments they shared, she would always remember. And it would always break her heart just a little.

Zuko knelt on the ground, remnants of the flames from his outburst slowly dying around him. For a moment he stared in disbelief at the ground, as if the gravity of the situation had finally hit him. He had been so stupid. He collapsed further falling to all fours, as if the weight of his mistakes were pulling him into the ground.

He could feel the cool touch of Katara's hands on his back. "Zuko," he heard her say in her signature worried voice, "what's wrong?"

A single tear escaped, cascading down his cheek. "Katara, I'm so sorry."

"Zuko please what are you talking about?"

"I-," he fumbled. What was he to say? Could he really just tell Katara the truth? That he'd taken the word of his father - the father who had repeatedly lied and eventually scarred and tried to destroy - concerning the whereabouts of his mother. That he'd met him in secret and demanded an answer, and not once speaking to anyone about his findings. That he had risked Katara's life by leading her out in the wilderness known for its tragic and violent history without even a single back up plan.

"I was wrong," he whispered, "My father. I- I thought I found out the location of my mother, but he was lying." Katara's grip tightened at his words, but she said nothing. "The name - the name it sounded so familiar. I just assumed that I heard my mother say the name once when I was younger, but then I realized why she had said the name. Katara, this land is said to be the resting place of spirits that have not left our world. It was a trap. It was a trap to kill me... and I've brought you along with me."

He collapsed under the weight of his words, the dirt on his face as he let his tears fall into the ground. How far from home were they? For once in his life Zuko thought he was going to get what he wanted. His mother. Just once he thought he was free from it all... but he was wrong. All his life he had had everything thrown at him, with no expense spared... why should it have stopped now with the war?

"Zuko, we need to find our way home."

Zuko chuckled wryly, "That's impossible, the trees have been changing. The paths are erasing themselves."

It hurt. No matter how many times he had been on the receiving end of Katara's water whip, the pain never lessened... in fact, it seemed to hurt more with each lash.

He looked up from the ground at Katara, her eyes shining in the moonlight, just as fierce and unyielding as they looked months ago when they had battled in the Northern Water Tribe. "No Zuko."

"No," she said once more, her tone firm as she bending the water into a steady position in front of her. "We've come this far. We're not stopping now. It will not end here." She bended the water back into her flask, before offering her hand to help him off the ground. "We've been through worse."

Zuko nodded, his moment of self pity gone. Taking her hand, he hoisted himself off the ground and wiped his face. Katara was right. He had been through worse. They would find his mother, or at the very least, make it out alive.

Katara flashed him a sweet smile, a small reassurance that if anyone could make it out of this, it was them.

"Earlier I thought I was imagining it, but considering what you said, I think something, or somethings, is following us."

Zuko nodded, "When did you notice this?"

Katara sighed, as she fetched her ripped pack and its belongings. "Maybe an hour or so ago? I feel that we were being followed for a while, but it recently stopped. Maybe we're nearing the edge of the forest?" she asked hopefully.

"No," Zuko said shaking his head, "I doubt it. Whatever it or they are, they're waiting for the right time. We need to move fast. We'll keep heading straight, we'll have to hit the edge eventually..."

Katara nodded as she secured her belongings.

"And keep an eye out for anything. Be prepared... we've already been given enough time as it is." And with that, Zuko and Katara headed off deeper into the forest. Zuko was right though, they had been given far too much time.

There was something about the waterbender that he had always admired. Back then when they had been enemies, there was something about her that always stood out from the rest. Maybe it was because she was the most gullible, or the most determined, he didn't know, she just always did.

Iroh had always hinted that it wasn't just the skill that he had admired, but rather just the girl herself. Naturally Zuko had scoffed and tossed the idea aside, after all, she was the enemy... well not necessarily, but she was by association. He remembered when he had captured her and told her he'd protect her from the pirates, he didn't know what had come over him - to say he'd go so far as to protect her, but he realized that maybe his uncle had been onto something. And that just made things worse.

In the midst of everything, he had almost forgotten that he had a small infatuation with her, that was until they found themselves trapped underneath the city of Bah Sing Se. He never forgot the feel of her hands against his face, against his scar - she had been the first person to ever touch it, and it had somehow felt right. But then he had betrayed her and his uncle, and then he forgot everything once more. They were enemies once more, and that for the moment, was all right with him.

They had a nasty habit of running back into each other. Naturally it was because he had spent his timing chasing after the Avatar, and thus by default her. But this time, he was determined not to make the same mistakes he had made in the past. But he was already too late. She was no longer the Avatar's ally and friend, but she was the Avatar's girl. He always slightly resented Aang for having what he could not... even though he had no one to blame but himself.

Maybe that was also the reason why chose to take her and only her. Together they were a team... a team that only needed each other to survive. And though he couldn't have her on a regular basis, he could have her then.

He hated being right.

He turned, sending a wave of fire at the incoming monster, though as he ran, he could tell that the flames had not done any significant damage. He continued to run, the monster or spirit or whatever the hell it was, continuing to lash at him, its long winding tail whipping at him. He ducked, swerved and dodged, and so far, it was saving him. He spun once more, sending another wave of flames at the monster, this time managing to stop it for a few moments.

In the corner of his eyes he could make of the silhouette and splashing of Katara's water whip. In a split second, Katara was thrown towards him, the monster pushing through her feeble whips. "Katara!" he yelled after her, sending a train of fire towards the thing, pushing it back into the other monster.

"I'm fine," she panted, barely off the ground before she began running once more. "I don't have enough water!"

Zuko swore under his breath as he ran alongside her. He jumped, kicking a ball of flame backwards towards the monsters that were now twice as angry, and either the monsters had sped up, or he and Katara were slowing down.

Katara screamed.

Zuko turned to seeing her getting pulled away at her feet. Her nails dug into the ground, a desperate attempt to grab onto something. Almost instinctively Zuko sent a barrages of flames at it. It screamed an unearthly scream and released Katara's leg. "Behind you!" she screamed at Zuko. Katara lunged forward, bending the water in the her second pouch into ice shards, and sending them into the eyes of the thing behind Zuko.

Zuko inhaled, exhaling a sea of fire onto the surrounding areas. Katara followed suit, using the water to fan some of the flames into a deep smoke. "This way!" she called after him, grabbing his hand, heading off towards a structure in the distance. We're almost there!" She let go, gathering that last remaining water she had with her in defense.

In was a split second thing. One moment they were running towards the structures, the spirits temporarily held at bay by the smoke and flames, and the next moment, she was cradling Zuko in her arms, his blood seeping into her clothing. For moment she gasped in horror, the flames dancing in her eyes, taking in the everything that was happening to them. She rested Zuko down on the grass directly behind her and stood face to face with the monsters. From the corner of her eye she could see Zuko attempting to stand, but the beating he had taken refusing to allow him. It was all right, she could handle it. The light raindrops on her face told her so. She could feel the rain coming.

She smirked. She could handle this.

.o0o.

"I don't think they're spirits...I've seen a lot of spirits before and these one are nothing like the ones I've seen during the war." Katara sighed as she finished wrapping Zuko's bandages. "You'll be fine, don't worry. Thanks for that back there." Katara chuckled slightly, "Every time we're together, you always end up saving me some how. Sorry."

Zuko smiled at her. "Good thing you're the best healer then. But really, taking all these hits to the chest will get me one day. I expect to see you there when that happens."

Katara chuckled, "I haven't let you die yet." He smiled. "Yet?"

"I won't let you die," she finished, lightly patting his wounds, both the one he had received from Azula, and the one from the spirit.

"Not one of our better days is it?" she asked, sighing once more as she let herself fall a bit.

Zuko winced as he sat up, his hand instinctively reaching towards his injured area. Despite being healed, he could still feel the the ghost of the pain where the gash had been. Though he knew Katara had healed him completely, he couldn't shake the feeling that the pain would never leave him.

"I wouldn't say that Katara," he said smirking, "I think it was pretty clever waterbending rifts into the ground around to cave to store water in case we get attacked again. At least we're safe in here and that seems pretty good to me."

In the time between Katara saving them both from the spirits, she had found a cave hidden in the thick brushes in the forest. It was partly underground and wasn't particularly big - only allowing enough wiggle room for Katara and Zuko to stretch out and move around slightly, but no more. In addition to this, Katara had also thought of the brilliant idea of making circular makeshift reservoirs to collect the rainwater around the cave. Since they could easily be trapped within the cave, it only make sense for them to set up some sort of defense system. Zuko smiled once more, "I don't call that having a bad day. I do the stupid things, and you fix them. In fact, that sounds just about right."

Katara chuckled, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Zuko?"

"Yeah Katara?"

"Can you still feel it?" Katara asked. She made a small motion with her hand, confusing Zuko.

"Feel what?" he asked, mimicking her hand motion.

She frowned, "the pain." And suddenly Zuko knew exactly what she was talking about. "I mean I can still feel it," she said in almost a whisper. She held out her leg, the one that the spirit had latched its tongue around earlier when it tried to take her. Katara ran her fingers across the area where its teeth had been, her eyes staring intently as if she were reliving the moment as she sat there. "There's nothing there, but I can still feel the way its tongue wrapped around my leg, as if it was only a few moments ago."

Zuko looked at her and once more his hand went to the area where his wound had been. Their eyes locked for moment, and just like that, they didn't have to say anything. Their eyes had said everything. Zuko leaned in towards her, slowly as to not frighten her. Gingerly he rested his head on her shoulder, and sighed. "I'm sorry. Really, I am."

Katara leaned over, resting her hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing to be sorry for, really. No matter how this turns out, at least we'll never forget how I saved your life and beat two spirit-monster-thingys."

Zuko laughed, soft and a little strained from the pain he still felt in his chest. "We'll call it even for me saving your life and getting struck by lightning."

She laughed a deep, vibrant laugh. "Deal." Katara slid down, laying on the floor. "We should get some rest." Zuko nodded, but did not move back. He wrapped his arms around her, burying her head into his chest. "For warmth," he lied. Her cheeks flushed slightly and she nodded, moving in closer towards him. He was lying of course. She knew he was lying, and he knew she knew he was lying. After all, Zuko was a firebender, warmth was a simple thing to achieve. But neither said anything.

Rather they lay there, huddled together under the moonlight. No, there was not a single complaint.

Things rarely surprised her nowadays.

Her life had taken so many twists and turns, that the constant roller coaster of things forced her to expect anything and everything... and to be prepared for them.

And that was just the thing. Even then she realized that she was going to have to prepare herself, because she knew that Zuko's mother wasn't going to be the only discovery they would make.

And you know what? She was perfectly fine with that.

Author's Note: Don't worry, it's not over yet. I won't be picking this stry line directly in the next chapter, but it will be making its appearance before the fic is finished.

So, I've written this in part for Zutara Week on tumblr. There are seven prompts, so there shall be seven chapters for this story which should hopefully be finished at the end of this week. Today's prompt was "Serendipity" and I'm not going to lie, while the prompt itself seems so romantic, I had the hardest time writing this.

So I'm begging you to bear with this as I know it's not my best work, and it might possibly suck. I think it's decent, and I hope you do too. I sincerely hoped you liked it. :)