The Fire Within Us (ATLA Fanfic)

Chapter 21- Anika

Anika's throat burned as she sprinted through the darkness. Her entire body screamed with exhaustion, and her legs felt like they were encased in lead as she forced herself to keep moving. Just one more step... now one more...

Kuzen's cruel laugh attacked her ears and filled her with dread. "I'll destroy you, and then I'll destroy Zuko. You're helpless to stop me."

"N-no..." Anika found that she could no longer move. She stood frozen in place as her father closed in on her. "Y-you're locked away in jail. You can't h-hurt Zuko from there."

"Can't I?" A hand gripped her shoulder from behind, and as if a switch had been flipped, Anika found that she could move again. She spun around and punched the man behind her as hard as she could. Her fist collided with his jaw, and her father let out a cry as he fell backwards.

Anika stood over him, panting, as he moaned and cupped his face. In that moment, Anika realized that it wasn't her father that she had punched. The golden eyes of her victim upturned themselves to look at her. Zuko.

Anika gasped and reached out for him. "Zuko, I-"

"Get away from me!" Zuko scooted backwards, his expression angry and fearful.

Her father's bodiless laugh roared at her once again. "I don't need to be free from prison to destroy Zuko. I have you, daughter. I'm so proud; you're becoming just. Like. Me."

Anika gasped for air as she shot straight up in bed. A shrill, horrified scream echoed off of the walls, and it took her a moment to realize it was coming from her. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she began to shake as the shrieks melted into gasping, broken whimpers.

Anika lowered herself back into her bed and bunched the covers around her chin. Tears slipped silently down her face. She had to bite her lip to hold herself back from crying and waking up the half of the palace that hadn't heard her scream.

Suddenly the door to her room burst open. Anika struggled into a half-sitting position, gazing at the intruder in shock. It was Zuko, and he looked furious. A ball of flame flickered in one of his hands, shedding changing light on his bare chest and loose pajama pants as he scanned the room. He'd obviously burst out of bed in what he had been sleeping in.

"WHAT'S... oh." His eyes fell on Anika, and his wild eyes softened into understanding. No intruders, just nightmares. As if she wasn't miserable enough, now Anika was embarrassed. She burrowed back under the covers and waited for him to leave and go back to sleep.

There was a soft shuffling, and then she heard Zuko's voice beside her bed, soft and slightly hoarse from just waking up. "May I?"

Anika opened her eyes to find him looking down at her hesitantly. She nodded silently and shifted over, and Zuko slipped into the bed beside her. His strong arms circled her torso and pulled her close. Anika's wildly pumping heart gradually slowed as the smooth rise and fall of Zuko's chest calmed her down.

After a bit, Zuko cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, I saw that you left the flowers in the hallway. Did I mess something up? Were they the wrong color, or...?"

Anika sighed in frustration as her bubble of contentment popped and she came crashing back to reality. She broke free from her boyfriend and plopped sulkily on her back just beyond his touch. "Flying hog monkeys, they weren't the wrong color! You can be so clueless sometimes! I didn't want a bouquet of flowers. Some things can't be bought with money and a powerful position as Fire Lord. I just wanted to talk things through face to face. All those things you said... you hurt me, Zuko." She paused, and when she spoke again, her irritated voice had softened. "And I hurt you."