Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul ❯ Leather Binding ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Rated: M
WARNING: This story may have a few problems for a true die hard fan. For one, this isn't in the Avatar world, it's AU. One, they don't really use their bending (not that they don't have it's just not mentioned a lot.) Two, Aang is Rastafarian and a Lawyer. He isn't a Monk and is not bald. I hope you can look pass how different the characters are and enjoy the story. Please review.
There is a lot of sex and some racial slurs in this story so if you still choose to read this even after the warning then don't get all pissy and bitch about it to me because this is your warning. If you don't like reading about sex or social injustice don't read ahead.

The Soul
Katara

Part 1

I hear the humming of a familiar tone. I groan as I pick up my phone. It's no one, just the alarm. I turn it off and linger in bed, still trying to hold on to the few moments of my dream. I pull my blankets close. It's far too cold to get out of the covers. Hiding inside the blankets, I hear laughter. I peer out see a half naked Rastafarian standing in my room. Aang is snickering as he starts looking for his shirt. I almost forgot he had even stayed the night. I sit up in bed hugging my blankets to my chest.

"I figured you would have left by now."

"Will you, all a lone, for a week? Someone has to be here to make sure you don't burn the place down." Aang says with sarcastic chuckle; he walks over to my bed.

"Yes, that's why I have Zuko here." I groan

.
He starts kissing my thigh, I giggle and in a soft moan he asked, "So when does the other man in your life wake up anyway?"

"Well let me think he came home around an hour ago; so I'm guessing, he will be out for a while; at least until noon."

Aang smiles a devilish grin and peers under the covers. "Well I guess I can stay a while longer." Suddenly, a booming scream blasted through the house and both Aang and I shot up. We rolled from awkward positions as thundering footsteps marched up the stairs. Aang is hurriedly looking for his shirt and his escape. It's practically impossible because my large arrays of clothes are covering the floor like a new rug. I listen to Aang bitch about how I have more clothes than God. He gives up on finding the shirt and instead looks toward the window. Before he can crawl from the two stories and jump, I push him into my tiny closet and shut the door. Hopefully, he'll be able to breathe comfortably for a while in my poor excuse for a closet without it getting too hot. I find a robe and quickly put it on. The door opens and a massively large Zuko is standing in front of me holding a piece of paper. His glee is radiating from his body so much that the tiny bedroom seemed to fill with sweet energy. He picks me up and starts kissing me.

"Oh baby, I have the best news."He says happily and places me on the bed; kissing me all over. If not for Zuko's happiness overpowering the room, Aang's anger would've probably flown through the closet and swallowed the life around Zuko and me. Hell, every time I looked at the closet I could see the black ball of Aang's energy fighting with the glowing yellow energy of Zuko's. Thank God Zuko is oblivious.

"Honey what's the great news?" I say between kisses.

He rolls off of me and sits up. "Ok, ok, let me explain you know my uncle Ozai?"

"He's the guy who cursed our engagement."

"Yeah, yeah, real jerk. Well, he died."

"Oh good- I mean, oh God really? Oh, baby I am so sorry for your loss."

"Why? I hated that guy. Anyways, he died and left me my grandfather's estate."

"What? Why? You two didn't like each other, hell when we announced are engagement he spat on you and promised to God to make sure the wedding never happened."

"Well, he doesn't have a say in the matter grandpa made sure that the estate goes to the next male heir and seeing how I am the only male heir besides my uncle Ozai, who is now deceased, I get the land and money. You know what this means right?"
The pit in my stomach grew larger. I knew what this money will mean for me and Zuko. It means my nice three year engagement will run into the earth shattering wall that is called marriage. Zuko looked at me for the same happy reaction that he had with this news but I couldn't bring myself to smile.

"Honey, what's the matter?" He asked.

"Nothing, I just don't know. It just seems so fast after Ozai's death is all." It's the partial truth after all so technically I'm not really lying. Just because I'm engaged doesn't mean I'm ready for marriage. If I voiced this aloud to a friend, they would probably look at me like I was crazy. Not that I would blame them though. Nothing makes sense anymore.

"It isn't that fast. We still have a month before the will is recognized. Which means I, you and Aang have to go down there."
A sad sounding groan came from the little closet. Zuko look at the closet. "Did you hear something?"

"No” I lie. “Anyway, why does Aang have to come?"

"I thought that was obvious. Aang is my best friend and my lawyer. That being said, if my illegitimate cousin tries to get the money, I'll need Aang to stop him."

"He may be your friend and lawyer but Aang has never won a case and he got fired from his firm for testing positive for drugs. Do you really think that is a good idea?"

"Hell, its Mississippi in the middle of nowhere it won't be a challenging case."

"Of course." I get up from the bed. "How long?"

"Two weeks tops, we can get home and pick our wedding date." He says, following me. "In fact I better call him."

"No, he is probably asleep you know how Aang's been since being laid off."

"Oh yeah, quite depressed. Just as well, I am tired anyway. I was on that plane from three a.m. to nine a.m."

"I don't how you travel so much from Virginia to California every two weeks only to head to work all day every day. By the time your day off comes, you're so exhausted that you sleep almost the entire time. We never have time for each other Zuko."

"I have to take care of you."

"I have a job too you know and I can make just as much cash as you and pay equal amount of the bills as you do so let some of the overtime go . I can take care of you too."

"It's not just the money! My career demands that from me and if I wish to succeed in this field I have to travel and work strange and long hours. Don't you get that?" He yells and storms away.

Zuko has always been like that. He loves to be the man of the house. Sometimes I think he is having an affair of his own. I listen to Zuko and wait until I hear the bathroom door close. I let Aang out the closet when the faucet sounds.

"What the hell why did you shove me into the closet?"

"I didn't want you to break your neck."

"I rather break my neck then watch him kiss you."

"We can't keep doing this Aang. I'm his fiancé and you're his best friend." I sit on the bed.

"Can we talk about this later? Zuko could come in any minute!" He says, crawling under the bed and successfully finding his shirt. "I love you Katara."

I bite my lip. I hate this feeling. My heart lurches and I feel queasy. I have to say something. "I love you too.” I honestly do love Aang. “But I really feel …” I stop and Aang looks at my for a second, then back to the closed bedroom door only partially paying me attention. “I feel …” The words stick to my mouth like taffy so I try again, this time I am able to get more out. “I really feel like we can't do this anymore. It isn't righ-”

Aang cuts me off. "Please later." He exits the apartment and I watch from my bed room window as Aang leaves.

***

It has been a month since Zuko and I have seen Aang. Don't get me wrong I have talked to him and we agreed that it would be for the best if we didn't see each other anymore. It killed me to do it but I couldn't hurt Zuko any longer. He loved me for me and not just for the sex or the forbidden fruit like Aang. Hell he probably has some new tramp that he hasn't told Zuko about yet. The thought hurt.
Zuko and I sat in the airport waiting for Aang. The terminals seemed to be like a sea of people entering and exiting Dulles. It was interesting thing to watch people coming from all over the world with strange and unique clothing, but no Aang. I wonder if he backed out at the last minute. My stomach turns with the idea between the edges of relief and desire. I finally see him in his long black dreads and deep almond eyes. He is dressed rather hippy today. He looks like he hasn't shaved in a week or two.

"God man what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to look like lawyer or are you going for the stoner bum look?" Zuko asked.
"I am not dignifying that with an answer. However, on a non asshole note I have something for Katara."

"Wait why?"

I love Zuko but he is not the brightest bulb in the box. He's forgotten it's my birthday. "Zuko today is May twenty-second. Is there anything important today?" I groan as Zuko starts to babble his lame excuses.

All I can make out of his back tracking and bullshit is "Oh shit, your birthday."

Aang laughs and pulls out a little black box of his leather jacket pocket. I open the box it's a beautiful necklace made from a leather strand rope and a gem that is deep amber with flecks of black and as round and full as a Harvest moon. I looked at him for moment. I remember seeing this on his table beside his bed hundreds of times.

I hug him whispering, "This is your lucky tiger eye."

"Nah, it hasn't really brought me much luck, but I am hoping it will bring you the luck that I haven't had; a better kind." He reaches behind my neck. His cool breath brushes my collar bone as he puts it on me.

It gets far too quiet and Zuko looks from the necklace, to me and then to Aang, but before he can say anything our plane begins to board and we rush off.

The three of us are sitting in the back and I'm in the middle seat between Aang who is by the window and Zuko who is next to the aisle. It would be just my luck to have ended up right between Aang and Zuko. My heart is beating and I can feel my hands become clammy. Beside me, Zuko furrows his brow and tightens his fist. Aang is frowning. He knows this is a bad situation; especially after that stunt at the airport. Aang's lips are so tightly pressed together they begin to bruise a shade of red. I'm surprised. Who knew he even had a conscience?

Finally, after what seems like forever, a flight attendant strolls by with a cart asking us if we want anything to drink or packages of peanuts and crackers. All three of us decline.. I guess none of us are in the mood for much. Once she passes, Zuko turns in his seat with eyes so intense that a part of me wants to look away before he sees right through me. But another part of me wants him to hurry up and see the game Aang and I have been playing so we can get it over with. I've always hated hiding things from people I'm supposed to care about. My fiancé turns back in his seat and then casts his glance towards Aang. Zuko has never looked so uncomfortable.

"So … what's going on between you two?" He finally manages.

"Nothing." We say together.

"Aang, the lucky tiger's eye you got in Cabot during spring break is now around my future wife's neck. And nothing is going on?"

Aang slouches closer to the window and waves him off. "Yes, man nothing, it's just a necklace."

"Yeah sure, if it was something you picked up in the gift shop an hour before you met up with us, then yeah it would be just a necklace. But no, it's the one you got when you and I were blazed and saw that witch doctor on the beach getting sea glass."

"Yes I do remember the guy saw us and took the necklace off and shoved it in my hand and said something weird in Spanish."

"Yes, so how is it you're giving it up to Katara?"

He thinks for a moment, trying not to give anything away then he passes the comment off as a joke. "Because, anyone who is willing to marry you needs all the luck she can get." Aang gives sly him his Cheshire smile.

"Bull shit." Zuko looks hard at me. He knows.

"Why do you want to make a big deal out of this any way, nothing is going on." I stated with a touch of annoyance.

"Nothing I can prove anyway.” Zuko said with a look of anger.

I look at Zuko defiantly.. "If you're not mature enough to handle a guy giving me something then fine I'll just give it back." I scowl at Zuko as I take off the necklace and hand it over to Aang. He declines it as the plane begins to shake and ascends to the sky from the ground. I try again to give back the tiger's eye while Zuko is bitching about the flight and the coldness of the plane. Once again he declines and soon I give up the practice.

The plane takes off and we're in the air. Zuko still tries to ask us about any affairs that might have gone on in the past, but we deny and soon Zuko grows tired of the game he has been playing since take off. He now begins to beg me to join the mile high club, but I decline saying I am claustrophobic.

Aang laughs remembering times where I would drag him into tiny places for museum sex. Zuko pleads for a little while longer saying "Okay, so you bitch about having no sex and now I am offering and you are saying no. You're not even claustrophobic."

"I am not talking to you about this."

We argue about this back forth until the plane lands and we get out of the small metal tube and enter the shuttle bus that takes us to our luggage. The bus seems to be no more than six or seven gulf carts turned into one long train thing. I say `thing' because it doesn't move fast enough be called a vehicle plus there are no seats nor are there any metal or glass walls but four rods holding up a roof made out of tarnish gray color canapé thing. To add to my dismay there seem to be a hundred people or more on there and it looks like rain. Yet, against my will and better judgment Zuko and Aang got me to step on to the platform so the `thing' as I call it, could squirm along to the little seventies looking airport.

Thank God the rain didn't come until after we were inside getting our suitcases.. We push through the swarms of people in the tiny little airport to find the front doors. There is a young looking man, clean shaven and long yellowish white hair looking for someone though crowds of people. His strange yellow-brown eyes connect with mine and soon spits of ice stroll down my back. The man walks over to us.

"Fag, no long time no sees?"

Zuko rolls his eyes and retorts, "Bastard, it's nice to see Mississippi manners haven't lost there touch." They hug each other.

"So, trying to steel my home from me and you want manners?" The man asks with a slightly thick accent.

"I am just trying to get what's mine so I can marry my beautiful wife."

"Oh, so they allow you guys to marry up Virginia?" He held in a laugh "You know he is quite handsome, but I didn't think you would do that good, personally. So when is the big day for you guys?" He jesters to Aang.

"No, I am not the happy bride in fact I am just the lawyer, the water bender is the blushing bride." Aang says putting his arm around me. For some reason, I don't move or nudge him away although my mind is practically screaming at me to.

"Damn she's hot. I guess I'll have to find a new nick name for you fag." He looks at Aang and I. "Forgive my rudeness I am Cyrus," he shakes our hands and we give our names. Wait a minute Aang, you're a lawyer!?"

"Yeah, didn't you bring one?" Aang sighs.

"No! Well I guess I just found a new nick name for you fag, it's now `Asshole'." The man shouted. "God, really a lawyer, I can't believe you Asshole."

The rant continues as he guides us into the pouring rain towards an ugly bucket of bolts, rusted pickup truck. The truck is only a two-seater and Aang and I have to sit in the back as Zuko and his Cousin sit in the warm cab. The drive seems to last forever and the rain just pours harder drowning Aang and me in the back, Aang is using his jacket to create an umbrella for the two of us. For a while we would pass by a little town then just through a couple modern neighborhoods. It seemed every road the truck took lead us further away from the civilize world and into the deep havens of wood that excluded past knowledge. It would seem that there would never be a house at the end of our travels, just more woods. The lighting was flittering away and calling in deep murmurs of thunder. I was about to about to hit the cabs window to ask how much longer it would take when I saw a large wrought iron Gate taller than three men with the name Feather Brooks woven in the center at the end of the road. Jet -I found that was his name not too long ago- gets out of the truck and opens the gate.

"Aunt Ursa is already here. She should be waiting for us to discuss the will and then take us to dinner." Jet explains getting back into the truck. He drives through the gate and once we are through the gate it swings shut. I assume it's automatic when Aang asked why that just happened. I see the beautiful yellowish white farm house from the distance as we drive down the rocky path. We soon stop at the house and I notice it isn't quite as beautiful as it seemed moments ago. The front porch had boards missing and the lovely roman columns had vines curling down it wanting to spread into the house. The brick has strange green guck stuck to it, and the once yellow paint was chipping away and fading into white. Before we can get to the scratched door this strange large black woman swings it open. The woman's gray hair is wrapped into bright red bandanna and had a sweet yellow blouse and to fix it all up was wearing a bright peacock blue skirt with little hints of red spattered through. She shouts at us to get inside before `we caught our deaths'. We clatter through the door and enter a strange foyer about the size of a small house. In the foyer there were two stair cases on opposite far walls and bottom of the steps are mottled autumn oak doors blending into the walls which are covered by shelves of books and up the steps it looks like more shelves of books only separated by another door. On the ceiling there is a painting of two women dancing with a long python while two men lay naked strangling each other. In one woman's hand the chandelier extends into the brass chandelier, which seemed to drop down like a tear drop.

"This way my dears." The voice seemed to come from no where. I turn to the owner of the voice. It was the old woman and it is then that I realize I am alone with her. "I have to get you into some dry clothes dear, just follow me." She guides me up the steps, through the door and down this long hall way that has seven doors on each side and between every door there are book cases and strange Greek like structures. She then takes me to the door at the very end of the hallway. This door only leads to another hallway that's identical to the last one. She does this three times until we finally end up in a large bedroom that overlooks the fields. They look like they haven't been plowed for many years. The room itself is a dark blue and has one large window that takes up most of the outer wall. The rest of the walls hold paintings similar to that of that Renaissances Era. However, the bed and furnishings seem to be more Victorian than anything.. I simply stand and observe as the elderly maid opens a beautiful crafted cherry wood arm ward and pulls out a silk blue dress with no ornamental embroidery; just a simple long blue dress. The dress had to be the deepest shade of blue I have ever seen. It was almost like someone poured the dress into blueberry juice and left it to soak for days. The woman held it up to me.. "No!” I say quickly, a little louder than I wanted. I don't mean to sound rude. “Don't you have anything else?" I ask.

"Sorry deary all yawls clothes are soaked from the drive so you have to wear the Misses' clothes."

The dress is soft beneath my finger tips and suddenly I find myself actually longing to put it on. The woman turns around as I undress and slip into the gown that seems to hug my curves and flatten my stomach. I walkover to small vanity table to look at myself, my hair is a mess and my make up has smeared. I grab a small pack of moist toilettes out of my purse to remove the makeup and then proceed to dig around in my purse for a comb.

"Let me help you miss."

"No, please don't."

"It is my job Madame."

"I am sorry I don't even no your name and …” I trail off and blink my eyes. “… are you serving me?"

"Well my name is Hama and I am the Lady's house servant. I handle her dressing, make up, and other such things now she asked me to take care of the new Lady of the house please let me do my job."

"But Miss, I am not the Lady of this house."

"Your husband is inheriting this place is he not?"

"Yes."

"Well then, let me do my job."

After Hama combs out my hair she begins the task of putting it up in a bun all held together by two long, gold hair sticks with a green gems on top. She then paints my face with red lip stick and blue eye shadow and white face powder. I look into the mirror and I don't see myself anymore. "Can you take down the bun? I like my hair free."

"As you wish my mam."

She takes down the bun and its better but something still feels wrong I look around my neck and Aang's tiger's eye is gone. I get up quickly and search the room. I find it under my clothes and tie it around my neck so I do not loose it again. I look at the mirror and feel a little bit better.

"Precious necklace, he must love you to give it up."

"What?"

"It's for protection to give it up means to give your life."

"What?"

She guides me out of the room and tells me a story about tiger's eyes and how they are said to protect the wearer from harm and once a person gives up their tiger's eye there can be no protection from it to him again. It will never protect him again. Aang just said it was for luck never anything else. She also tells me how she has never seen one like the one I'm wearing before. My mind automatically rolls back to Aang and the last moments we shared together before I broke up with him. He said he loved me he just couldn't watch me marry Zuko and asked me to break it off. When I couldn't he stopped talking to me and avoided me at social functions. I had hoped he would come around when he offered to help Zuko and me with legal arrangements, but now it seems like only a ploy to get back with me.

Once I return to the others I notice that every one is dressed differently. Zuko is wearing a white suit and so is Cyrus. Aang however is wearing nothing but a long pair of slacks and a white shirt. They're standing around a table filled with food and I look for Zuko's Aunt but she was no where to be seen. The elderly woman guides me into the room placing me at the end of the table.

Soon, everyone sits down, Zuko is at the head and Aang is in his left and Jet is on the right. Jet begins to ask, "Where is Ursa?"

"Ursa had left for the lawyers and told me to take care of yawl." Hama explains.

"What?" Jet asked. "I talked to Ursa she already had the papers I saw them myself."

Hama offers us drinks. I choose a Jack Daniel while Zuko chooses the sweet red wine. Jet looks at his fried chicken and macaroni and cheese as if there was an answer for Ursa's disappearance. When Hama comes up to Jet he waves her way and just takes water. Aang ends up being ignored all together. Aang looks at Hama as he tries to call her over but she seems scurry away without even so much as a nod of the head or anything. Once we hear her exit not only the small dinning room but also the kitchen next door we began to talk. It is almost like there is some strange spell of silence that we are under when she was around us that stopped us from communicating.

"Ok, what the hell? She went to the lawyer's office. That's strange because I saw the will in her purse and I saw her Lexus outside." Jet says shooting up his head.

"Did you see Ursa? I know you say you saw the will in her purse and I am not asking how that happened, but did you see her with her purse or her car for that matter?” Zuko looked at Jet inquisitively.

Jet changed the subject. "You know I don't like that Hama woman."

"Yeah she is a bitch man, she ignored me!" Aang exclaimed.

"Ok, I didn't see any car outside." Zuko says. "And Aang, Hama is mean to people she doesn't like. I remember how she acted to Ozai. It was horrible."

"It was by a shed in the back, I saw it there." Jet exclaimed. Jet looked at us in a moment of confusion, "Her car. I mean, I saw her car."
"I haven't done anything yet. Why does she hate me?" Aang complains.

"Note how you said yet. Are we to assume that you are going to do something to piss someone off?" I ask teasingly.

"It's Aang; he pisses people off just by being." Zuko replied.

"Alright, we're getting way from the point of where's Ursa." Jet asked.

"Gone to the Lawyer, it will be over tomorrow." Zuko says with fried chicken skin hanging off his lip.

"I can't just sit around here. I am going to look around." Jet says standing up from the table and exiting from the dining room in a huff.
Once Jet left it wasn't long before Zuko decided it would good idea to explore the house, something he hasn't done since he was little boy. Aang and I soon followed to a different part of the house, which Zuko later explained there was a different function for each room. There was a room for looking out across a great field that broke for a forest wall, one for dancing and drinking which was a rather large circular room. Inside, there were walls of book shelves. On the floor, there was a mosaic of two lovers dancing in the stars.

The next room was for the arts. In this room there was a small open hole that seemed to be a window with a strange plant that stretched along and around the doors devouring the room as it went from the window to the center of the room, skirting along the piano and sofa chairs. The hanging plants around the glass walls were being covered with a mosaic of flower which seemed to want to envelop the wicker sofa. Aang plopped down before he noticed the mold growing on the back of the wicker; however it did not take long before he quickly jumped back up.

"Something bit me!" He yells.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You know what I mean. Something bit me!" he says pulling the cushions off the sofa until he came across a book. He pulled out the leather bounded book and it smells of fresh blood though there is none to be found. Aang flips the pages gingerly.

"Hey Katara, aren't you majoring in English Lit?"

"Yeah, your point?"

"Have you ever heard of this book?" He asked handing me the thin copy of `The Little Girl with Red Shoes.' I flip though the pages and hand it back to him.

"I never heard of this book". There is no author or publishing company. It was a children's book that started off with: There once was little girl with red shoes, who walked to mommy's house each day. At the end of the book there was a picture of tomb stone with pair of red stiletto heels. Under the picture are the words `Ursa RIP'. I shut the book and put it on the wicker coffee table.

"Come on, I'm bored here. Let's go look around some more." I plead.

Aang starts walking back forth.

"As much I as would love run around a creepy old house in middle of night, I have to go to bed." Aang says half annoyed and getting increasingly frustrated.

"Fine I'll see you in the morning." Zuko said putting his arm around me.

As Aang slips through the glass door, Zuko puts his arm around me and starts to say, "Maybe Aang has the right idea; maybe we should go to bed." He escorts me to his room on the opposite side of the house. The room on the third floor had a huge sky light above his bed and three windows on outer walls. I took off the silk dress and tossed it on a little cherry desk in the corner. Zuko unbuttoned his pants and I got on top of him and we started to fool around but he just couldn't get into it. It wasn't long before he became annoyed and snapped at me. I'm not stupid. I knew he was still mad about the situation on the airplane so I decided to leave him to himself and slipped back on the dress.

I walk down the stairs and hear the voices of Aang and Cyrus. I find them in the billiard room drinking at the bar while Jet lines up shots around the pool table. The room is thick with the smell of liquor, old cigars and leather. I slip into the red velvet sofa and begin to really look around. I start to notice certain oddities, a spy glass on the bar; no doubt it had been moved by Aang. He loves to poke around and explore. I smile at that. I look around further and see that this room is covered with shelves and shelves of poetry. I look to side of the sofa and find an almond color book case that carries another thick book of poems.

"I wouldn't read that unless you want to get yourself killed at the end." Jet exclaims as he make she shot. Jet walks over the bar and start making drinks as Aang walk over to the table.

"What?"

"All the poems are about death and torture." Jet says handing me a scotch on the rocks.

"Thanks." I say taking a sip. "I thought you were looking for Ursa."

"Gave up on that hour ago. I figure drinking is a much better use of my time." Jet says taking another shot of whisky.
"And I thought you went off to bed." I said nursing my scotch.

"I was, but hearing you and Zuko above me soon drove me out of the room." Aang says shooting the little red ball into the corner pocket.

"Speak of which, how is that going?" Jet says grinning. He puts his arm around me.

"Seeing how she's down here I am guessing Zuko's shuttle was not clear for lift off." Aang says shooting another ball and missing.
"Well, Zuko and my sex life is none of your business." I say as Jet get up taking the stick from Aang.

"Meaning there is no sex life." Aang bites back half jokingly while watching Jet line up the little chalk stuff on the Q ball. "Are you going to make your shot or paint pictures on it?"

Jet shoots the ball over the table and out of the room. Jet drops the stick, running after the rolling Q Ball. In the far distance I hear a loud boom following a drunken wail of, “I am ok.” Aang and I laugh, which soon fell into awkward silence. Both of us didn't know what to say. We hadn't been alone in the same room since we broke up.

"I better get to bed." I say wanting to leave.

"No man, stay, why go back to Zuko so soon? Finish your drink."

"Hmm, well Zuko will start looking for me." I find myself walking away, almost out the door.

"Has he ever?" Aang getting up from the sofa and to the bar he is wobbling over, he seems drunk.

"Aang I think you had a little too much." I say walking over.

"Ah, it's funny you're saying I have had too much." He slurs lightly.

"Oh? What is that suppose to mean?"

"You can drink more than an Irish sailor." He says drunkenly.

"I think you're exaggerating a bit." I say as he starts hanging all over me.

"You exaggerate Zuko's love for you." He kisses me but I feel something cold and metallic pressing against my neck. Aang mouth moves from my lips and neck and I begin to feel the cold metallic object moving down my body.. The object starts to resonate in my mind. It's the feel of a long cold steel knife. I look down and see clamped in Aang's hands is a knife. I find my self laying on my back and a knife pressed to my heart. I scream and pushed him away but he is too strong. Next I feel my body shake and quiver. I close my eyes and when I look up and there is Zuko trying to wake me up.

The first words from my lips are, "Where is Aang?" He stepped from the door looking winded and confused with Jet behind him. I notice I am still in the room and Hama is hanging over me with white towel.

"I am right here." Aang says stepping inside the room.. He has no knife in his hand.

"Were we down stairs?"

"You and me?” He looks confused. “No, why?"

"You have been up here all night with your future husband." Hama says with glee in her eyes. "You had fever and you screaming, your love tried to call someone, but the phone didn't work. He ran all the way downstairs to get me.

"Fever?" I say, “But I feel fine.” I look to Zuko and he's sitting beside me, shirtless, looking rather pissed. Zuko then looks to Aang who sitting by the door, not wanting to come in. Maybe it was all a huge dream. Yeah, that makes sense; Aang doesn't do that type of shit. In fact, Aang is squeamish around blood and hates seeing helpless people get hurt. A fever dream makes more sense. "So Zuko ran all the way downstairs to get you?" I question and look skeptically at Zuko's flabby out of shape form. That part of the story doesn't make sense.

"No, I said your love." Hama, gesturing to Aang, in that second I looked at Zuko for reaction, but there was none. I then looked at Aang for a sign of some kind, but I get the same blank stare. Stranger still, there is no one moving, but Hama still talking.

"What's going on?"

"You're sick dear"

"But why isn't anything moving?"

"Everything is moving." Aang was now at my bed side. How did he get from the door to here? Is this part of the fever?

"Like I said, you fell sick and your friends heard scream. He saw Zuko trying to wake you and called 911 then ran down and got me."

"But …" I say trying to understand why things seem so odd is it the fever again? I decide it would be best just to go with it.

"I personally think we could all use a drink." Jet said gesturing to the door down the hall that held the room with pool table.

"Agreed!" Zuko says putting on his shirt.

"No, I am good. I think I'm out of it still." I pull the covers to my chin. It seems chilly to me.

"Me too, I think I might just stay back with Paiva. She doesn't look well."

"Ok then, we'll go." Hama says pushing Jet and Zuko out of the room and shut door.

For just a second it seemed so much like the old times with Aang before the sex; before the affair. We were friends, sitting around and talking about nothing. He asked me about what I saw. I told him a vague revelation, I figured vague would be the best. He would get pissed off if he knew the whole truth. Then I found myself fighting the desire to kiss him. It seemed Aang was fighting the same desire seeing how we fell into the same silence followed by passionate kissing. Then like a shadow passing in the night he was gone and I was very much alone in the ball room Zuko had showed me earlier. I wanted to cry, I wanted to know what was real.

I sat on the floor hearing foot steps marching up and down the hall. I raise my head up to see one of the book cases had fallen and Jet was hanging from a long rope in the ceiling from the golden chandelier. I screamed at the top of my lungs. Soon a door was kicked open and Zuko and Aang who were looking at the same tangling body paralyzed with fear. I couldn't move and I watched the body start to fall but before it could hit the ground it turned into a big fat book and the irony smell of blood filled the room. Zuko and Aang came closer; I got up from the ground walking over to the book.

"Okay, this is third time weird shit has happened. I must be dreaming right?"

"I don't think so because we're witnessing it also."

"So you saw Jet turn into a book?"

"Yeah," They say in unison.

I pick up the book and it's wet and sticky. The cover is a leathery brown and worn like Cyrus's eyes. My hands hold the spine and open it to title that says simply, `The Eyes of All.' The words are written in red and like the other books, no author or publisher. I flip through a few pages and the words change from red to black. Aang picked up the once rolling Q ball. I shut the book and shoot up."Were we sitting in the parlor?"

"Yeah, why?" Aang wonders, looking at me as if I was the one who turned into the book.

Ignoring the strange look I answer him, "I came down after Zuko and I couldn't hit it off, right?"

"Katara, this isn't the time or the place to be talking about our sex life."

"But did I or not?"

"To answer your question yes you did or at least that's what you told me and Cyrus."

"Ok, ok, so that part is real?" I say more to myself than to them. "And I wasn't sick up stairs with this huge fever?" They shake there heads to say no. "And Aang did you and I well, hmm kiss?" He looks to me and then to Zuko and back to me and his eyes say yes.

"Ok, good has anything else happen?"

"Why are you asking? You were there and making out with my best friend"

"Yeah, yeah, I am a cheating bitch, but still, did anything else happen?"

"You slapped me and told me you didn't love me and were marrying Zuko on the 23rd and stormed out. I went to follow you but couldn't find you." Aang says with extra venom. I don't remember that part.

"I don't remember that." I whisper.

"Well I sure as hell do."

He storms out of the room dropping the Q ball. I run after him, but something about the house is different. I am in different place. In Zuko's room I watch myself make love to Aang but I am pregnant. A man comes in the room and he is dressed like solider from the civil war as a confederate. Aang gets up fast and he pulls up his pants and strangles the man. While the two wrestle on the ground the man gets Aang. The women … or I get up from my bed and try stopping the fight but the soldier starts kicking me in my pregnant belly, yelling horrible words like whore. Aang can't get up as he listens to her scream. Aang gets up finally and lunges after other man or … Zuko? Zuko calls to two others.

"Get this Nigger into the shed."