Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Breathe Again ❯ Nightmares ( Chapter 12 )

Sadly I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender :D It belongs to Nick and its Original creators.

 

Breathe Again

~Chapter 12: Nightmares~

 

“Your bottle's almost empty,

You know this can't go on,

Because of you my mind is always racing…”

 

~

Sokka followed close to Akai in the near darkness, they were heading into the far north section of the small port village, and he could feel the sea breeze and smell the salty brine as it blew in from across the ocean. “We're heading to the infirmary, I am pretty sure we've got some of your friends.” He raised an eyebrow at her comment but said nothing as she continued down the small dirt road; he could barely make out the outline of a fairly large building. “They're asleep right now but… We can come back in the morning if you do know them, Xing! Are you there? It's me Akai! I think I've found some friends of your patients!” A young woman poked her head from a window, her round face and small eyes true to her heritage. “Oy! Akai, that him?” She asked before lowering herself from the window and heading for the door, “Come on in then but be quiet about it, I don't need you waking them.” She said with a nod as they walked into the infirmary.

 

Sokka's eyes widened as he recognized the Kyoshi warrior armor leaning against the far wall, “You found them?” He asked excitedly, Xing nodded coolly, “No need to pee your pants kid, they won't be runnin' away or anything… And yes we found them with another group of fire benders, and traded some of our goods for them. It's sick what kind of condition these girls were in but they've improved a lot.” The warrior's eyes darkened, “……. Did you find a girl named Suki? She's their leader.” Akai nodded with a smile, “Yeah she's right over there, is she your girlfriend or something?” Sokka nodded slowly, and the two girls exchanged looks. “Sorry to hear that… She's might not react as you might expect when you see her tomorrow, she's gone through a lot recently but who knows. Come on now, I got to get you guys some beds so we can get a plan together on how to rescue your sister and get he Earth King back on his throne!”

~

Katara smiled at Jet softly as he ran his thumb over her bottom lip, “Sokka isn't too fond of you…. We might have to run if we get caught…” She whispered with a soft giggle, the freedom fighter smirked as he lay down next to her. “What's he going to do? Talk me to death?” He said with a laugh, she nuzzled up to him seeking his warmth and comforting embrace but the closer she tried to get to him the further away he became; suddenly she was surrounded by nothingness and felt as though she was falling. She strained to try to grab onto something concrete something real, but there was nothing in this pure inky blackness that seemed to be swallowing her whole.

 

She slammed her eyes shut tightly as she tried to scream for help, she could feel the words forming with her open mouth but no sound issued forth from her parted lips. Then as suddenly as it had come the feeling of falling departed leaving her afraid to open her eyes, but she slowly allowed them to open the scene that unfolded before her was one she had never wished to see or think about again, there was Jet laying before her on the ground like a broken doll. His once wild and fiery eyes tired and defeated, she reached out to him and placed her hands over his wounds, she could feel a rib poking from beneath his shirt. Tears pulled at her eyes as she shook her head, she didn't have the abilities to heal broken bones and punctured organs, she couldn't save him…

 

Katara suddenly jerked awake, perspiration making her clothing stick to her body, she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to calm herself down. Glancing around the room she was startled to see a mass of messy dark hair and muscular arms on the side of the futon not far from her leg. `It can't be…' She thought to herself her breath catching in her throat, “Jet…?” She whispered, brushing away the thick bangs only to have her eyes fall upon the distorted scar of Zuko, “W-what the hell do you think you're doing?!” She squeaked pushing herself up against the wall behind her, the Prince's amber eyes opened slowly, and stared at her dully through his slightly shifted bangs. “Eh?” He groaned scratching at the back of his neck idly as she continued to gape at him, “What did you do to me? You pervert?! You probably drugged me and had your way with me didn't you?”

 

This caught the still half asleep Prince's attention he blinked at her statement and fell back on his haunches and gazed up at her from the floor, “Eh?!” She glared at him, as she felt around her clothes as if to make sure they hadn't been hastily replaced, “Don't play dumb with me! I know how you pigs can be!” She pouted leaning her head back against the wall, “How am I ever going to get the perfect man now…? He'll think I am nothing but a common whore…” She mumbled, Zuko arched his eyebrow at the over dramatic girl, “I didn't do anything to you… So I don't see what all this fuss is about, I was… Having trouble sleeping that's all…” He said with a blush as he rose to leave the room, Katara glanced up at his retreating form.

 

“….What?” He turned to face her, an embarrassed look crossing his features, “I couldn't sleep last night… I was feeling guilty about what I did to you and my uncle, I came to check on you and I just kinnda feel asleep…” He said once again scratching at the back of his head, she blinked and moved to the edge of the futon but remained silent. She said nothing to stop him as he once again attempted to make leave of the room, `What if… He's telling the truth? And, I make the same mistake I made with Jet? And don't forgive him until it's too late?'

~

Akai was surprised to have Sokka wake her as he half pulled her out of bed; his eyes were droopy and dark from obvious lack of sleep. “Come on! I want to see Suki!” She rubbed at her sleep logged eyes with a growl, “Keep it up if you want my foot so far up your ass you can taste it…” He gulped and moved back as she rose from the floor slowly, “I'll be out in a few minutes… Try to rush me and I swear… I will act upon my threat, pony tail…”

 

Toph could feel Sokka's anxiousness through every footfall he made, “What is up with you? I don't think I've ever felt you act so strange before…” He glared at her, “I haven't seen Suki in a while… I want to make sure she's okay, from what Akai and her friend said… The Kyoshi warriors were through hell and back from Azula's soldiers…” He said his fist shaking angrily, Toph frowned and turned away from him. “Oh… That's horrible; I'm sorry Sokka I didn't know…” He smiled sadly at her, “It's okay Toph, I should have told you guys last night when I got back, I guess that was bad on my part.”

 

“Alright ponytail, let's go, Iroh is still sleeping and the same goes for the rest of your group, do you want to come too, Toph?” Akai asked, the smaller girl looked down slowly, “I guess… If that's okay with you two.” They both nodded and exchanged smiles, “Oh course it is Toph! I'm sure Suki will be glad to see you too!” Sokka said, patting her gently on the shoulder, `That's not the problem… Sokka.' She thought sadly as they headed for the infirmary once again, Toph trailing a little ways behind them.

~

Suki glanced at Xing with a smile, “Can you open a window? It looks like it's beautiful out.” The other girl smiled, “Of course I can Suki, oh… You have some guests coming to see you today, they should be here shortly.” The Kyoshi warrior glanced at her hands with a small frown, “Oh really? Do you know them or something Xing?” The doctor gave a hearty laugh, “No! Heh, they're friends of yours silly.” She turned away from Suki as a knock came at the door, “Oh, here they are now! Coming!” Suki continued to stare at her hands as she began to fidget them worriedly, she could hear footsteps drawing closer to her cot…