Dreams

A/N: This is based on a dream that I had. I added some things to make it more linear, but this is basically it.
Set six years after the end of the TV series. The Gaang gathers for Toph's 18th birthday.
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Katara's Dreams

Her moans filled the air. His hands were all over her, touching, kneading, caressing. Her body felt so hot she was sure it was going to burst into flame. The rhythm they'd set had taken on a more urgent pace. She could feel him surrounding her, without and within. She urged him further and he whispered her name like a prayer into her ear.
A noise startled her and Katara sat bolt upright. The man was gone.

She moaned again, this time out of frustration. It'd all been a dream. She shook her head trying to clear the images from her mind. She looked around, thankful she had her own room. It would've been very embarrassing had anyone heard her. She quickly slipped on her robe. Even though it was still dark, without a hint of morning light outside, she felt the needed for a bath. As she stood her legs almost gave way beneath her. That had been one powerful dream.

She took a few staggering steps before her legs started to obey her. As the scene replayed in her mind she wasn't sure what to think, this was the third time she'd had this dream. She wasn't disturbed by their content. She blushed. No, that wasn't the problem. It was who the other person was in her dream that gave her a start.

She reached her own private bath chamber and started pumping water into the large basin. When it was full she lowered herself into it. She let the tension flow out of her as the warm water from the nearby hot-springs eased her muscles.

She thought back to week ago when she'd received a message that the gAang was being summoned to the BeFong residence to celebrate Toph's eighteenth birthday. Four days ago Katara had arrived by ship with Sokka and his wife Suki. Aang and Zuko hadn't come yet, but both were due later that day.

She lowered her chin into the water. These dreams were making it hard to look her brother in the eye. She dreaded what would happen when the other guys arrived. She dunked her head fully under the water and tried not to think about it.
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The day seemed to drag for Katara, though she participated in the lively conversations her mind was occupied by her dreams. She was half looking-forward to seeing the guys again and half dreading it.

It was a little after lunch when they saw the shadow of Appa and heard his mighty growl. A minute later the flying bison landed in the garden, the Avatar floated from his back with Momo circling and chattering overhead. Everyone ran out to meet Aang. Toph crushed him in a hug and Sokka threw his arms around them both. Suki smiling, waited her turn. Katara was the last to greet her old friend. She gave him a hug and what she hoped was a warm smile.

After a few hours of chatting and reporting news Katara thought she had made it over one hurdle and began to relax. She still found it hard to look Aang in the face but no one seemed to notice.

When it started to become dark they realized that Zuko wasn't going to make it tonight. They knew it was hard for him to get away, now that he was leader of a nation. Everyone said their goodnights and headed for their own rooms. Tomorrow promised to be an exciting day full of activity.
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Katara sat on her bed, sleep didn't seem welcoming at the moment. Or maybe it was a little too welcoming. She tried reading scrolls and doing yoga stretches to calm her mind. Nothing seemed to help. Finally she gave up on relaxing in her room and decided to take a walk, hopefully to clear her head.

The air was a little balmy and there was no need for the shawl she'd brought. Sure that no one was up at this hour she left it on a chair near the door. She stepped out onto the porch and descended into the garden. She stopped on the bridge that traversed a small man-made brook that divided the garden from the back yard. She was admiring the stars when she heard a noise roughly too her right.

There were two tall trees at that side of the garden that marked the beginning of a path down to a pool. Those trees now stood like black pillars in the dark against the white stone wall. The noise that caught Katara's attention was apparently the footsteps of a person entering the garden from between the trees. She immediately summoned a stream of water from the brook.

She couldn't tell who it was at first because there seemed to be something wrong with his head. As he approached she realized that it was a towel in his hand and he was rubbing it over his hair. It looked like the man was wearing dark pants and a white shirt with some sort of symbol on the chest.

Her eyes went wide and she dropped the water that had been floating in front of her.
A realization had hit her. That wasn't a shirt he was wearing, and the 'symbol' was the remains of a scar.

“Zuko!” she exclaimed in recognition. “What are you doing here?”

He removed the towel from his head and let it hang at his side. Now that he was close she could see that he was wet and only wearing maroon colored pants that hung loose from the draw-string at his waist. She tried not to stare, and briefly wondered how he found time to keep his body in such good shape while running a nation.

He looked at her quizzically, “I suspect the same thing you are.” Zuko smiled and leaned against the railing of the bridge.

She frowned a little. “I meant what are you doing out here in the garden at this time of night? I didn't even know you'd arrived.”

He smiled. “I got in about an hour ago and I didn't want to disturb anyone, a servant let me in. I decided to go for a swim to rinse off a little of the travel before going to my room. I thought I was being stealthy but apparently not.” He looked at her and then the house.

She shook her head. “You didn't wake me. I couldn't sleep.” 'I didn't want to sleep.' was more like the truth.

“Ah.” he said and turned to put his hands on the railing and stared out into the garden.

She didn't like the way he said that. She put her hands on her hips ready for a fight. “What's that supposed to mean?!”

He cocked his head sideways to look at her, and for a few seconds didn't respond. “Your inability to sleep would account for your mood.” He said it quietly and without ire. “If you'd been yourself you would've at least greeted your old friend.” He pushed off from the railing, leaving the towel, and stepped off the bridge, walking back into the garden.

She stood there open mouthed watching his back retreat. She didn't know if she wanted to slap him or apologize to him. Katara's feet decided for her as she mutely followed him. When she caught up she stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. “I'm sorry.” she couldn't look him in the eye. That seemed to be the theme of her week she thought tersely.

He didn't respond other than watching her. It unnerved her a little so she took a deep breath before continuing. “I had no right to snap at you, and you're right it wasn't much of a greeting.” She glanced at his face but found it expressionless. She looked at a distant bush to her left.

She was thoroughly embarrassed when he caught her up in a hug. “We're friends, no need to apologize.” he whispered in her ear.

She flushed red but returned the brief embrace. He released her and smiled. “So, are you going to tell your friend what's bothering you? I've never known you not to be able to sleep.”

She blushed again and wondered if he could see it in the dark. “It's nothing.” she desperately wished they could change the subject!

He frowned. “It's not nothing, so spill it.” She could see she wasn't going to win.

Katara closed her eyes. “For the last few nights I've been having very disturbing dreams.” If her heart raced any faster it was going to come right out of her chest.

“What was going on in your dreams?” His question was innocent enough but it had an effect on Katara.

She took a step back and shook her head. She stared at him wide eyed.

“Did someone die? Did you kill someone?” Since she had stopped talking he was resorting to guessing.

She shook her head again and buried her face in her hands.
He grabbed her by the forearm. “What is it? What's wrong?” She could hear the deep concern in his voice and it wasn't making this any easier.

“They're all the same. They're of me having sex.” The words were muffled in her hands, but the next ones came out in a rush. “Not just any sex, the best sex I've ever had. And it's always with the same person.” She was sure she was going to die.

His hand dropped suddenly from her arm and she couldn't bare to look at him.

“Who?” There was something in his voice that made her think that maybe he really didn't want to know.

She dropped her hands from her face and stared at the grass between her feet. “You.”

Katara turned and ran all the way to her room without looking back.

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More chapters to come.