Could we have been…

Chapter 1
Rated M
Pairings: Zukaang

The Blue Spirit

I don't own ATLA...

Beating and bruised. Strung up by his legs and arms with thick heavy chains, barely able to move besides his head, Aang glared hatefully at one Fire Nation Admiral, Admiral Zhao, who's been a thorn in he and his friends side ever since they crossed paths at the The Southern Air Temple.

His right eye and cheek were nearly swollen shut from the multiple kicks and punches he sustain during his eventual capture at the hands of the Yuyan Archers. Forcibly hauling him to a Fire Nation fortress called, the Pohuai Stronghold, where he was currently chained to the ceiling and floor with strong iron chains.

Rips and tears littered his clothing from his feeble struggling as he was dragged to the stronghold resulting in a few cuts and scrapes.

Zhao smirked at the younger boy who glowered at him. Hatred, disdain and disgust were a few of the feelings direct at the Admiral. Zhao did not care how the Avatar saw him, as long as he was in control of the situation. Smirking, Zhao says while circling the boy, "So this is the great Avatar. Master of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over." Zhao drawled, smiling smugly at the helpless Airbender.

Aang continued to glare at the Admiral, using this limited time to think up a way to escape the fortress without getting himself killed. "I've never hidden from you! Untie me and I'll fight you right now!" Aang growled out at the older man, baring his teeth.

Good, distract him so I'll have an opportunity to get free. Aang thought as he continued to glare at Zhao.

"how about, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left?" Zhao taunted, putting his face up to Aang's. "Do you miss your people?" Aang's look of defiance melted away, dropping his head in feigned submission. "Oh, but don't worry, you won't be killed like they were." Zhao says causing Aang's head to snap up again in confusion.

"See, if you die you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive – but just barely. I have... something very special planned for you." Zhao said, voice low and sinister.

An involuntary shiver ran up Aang's spine at the possibilities of what the crazed man had planned for him. "What are you planning to do to me?" Aang asked voice wavering slightly despite his look of defiance still in place, watching as the older man's amber eyes burned a trail down the length of his body.

Understanding of what the admiral was hinting at dawned on him, fear and disgust filled him. Aang began to struggle against his holds once more as panic set deep in his core. "yo-you stay away from me! Or you'll regret it!" Aang warned, cold sweat rolling down his back.

Zhao's smirk widened at the Avatars pitiful words, reveling in the fear he instilled in the young boy. Zhao reached out a calloused hand to stroke the boys cheek. Aang's face grew rigid with fear, quickly jerking his head away in hopes of putting some distance between them, bile rising in his throat as the unpleasant feeling of the mad dastards hand touching his skin.

Seeing an opening Aang inhaled a deep breath and blew out a strong gust of air at the Admiral, blowing him back and away onto his backside. Roaring with anger Zhao quickly scrambled back to his feet and stormed over to the bound Avatar, grabbing him by the shirt collar and bringing his fist back, striking the boy in the stomach, causing him to grunt in pain.

"uggh!" Aang grunted from the force of the punch, lowering his head as tears stung the corners of his eyes. How many times am I gonna get hit today? Aang thought, looking up at Zhao with a smug grin curving his lips.

Growling, Zhao said scornfully, "Blow all the wind you want, but your situation is futile! There is no escaping this fortress, and no one is coming to rescue you." Zhao snarled through clenched teeth, storming out of the room in a huff leaving Aang alone to groan in discomfort.

"Finally he's gone." Aang groan as his stomach quivered. "There's definitely going to be a bruise there. Spirits, that hurt." Aang pulled lightly at his bonds, testing the strength of the chains.

"Yep, they're strong alright." Aang mused, quickly looking around as he thought up a strategy of how he was going to get himself out of this mess he unconsciously got himself in. Not finding a single way to get free, Aang groaned, lowering his chin to his chest. Closing his eyes as tears of frustration welled up in the corners of his eyes.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted. At least if I die, a new Avatar will be born and rise up and put balance back into the world… Hopefully." closing his eyes as he thought of the next Avatar, and how the new Avatar would one day bring more peace to the world. A face suddenly appeared in his subconscious. A face he tried to forget. He furrowed his brows in confusion. Why am I thinking about him, now. No way is he coming to rescue me. It's impossible for him to know where I am. ...So why did I just think of him at a time like this. Aang kept his head down as the face of Prince Zuko solidified in front of him as if he was somehow there to liberate him from the the situation he so carelessly got himself in. It was like he was there, looking at him with that deep scowl that made him look much older than he already was.

That was the look of disapproval...

Shaking the thoughts and images of the teen from his mind, Aang hung limply from the ceiling for what felt like hours, his arms and legs cramping up for being held out from his body for so long. Everything from his capture and Zhao's words echoed around in his head. 'See, if you die you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive – but just barely. I have... something very special planned for you.' No, he would not let that lunatic's words get to him. He would get out of this fortress. No matter what he would get back to his friends. They needed him.

Aang pulled weekly at his chains. But, alas, it was no use. He was stuck. "It's useless." He muttered to no one in particular.

All of a sudden, he started to squirm, feeling something tickling him. "Hahahahah! Huh... Wha–noo!" Stormy grey eyes going wide, he watched helplessly as his frozen frogs that we're for his sick friends began leaping out of his shirt. "What? No! Don't leave, frogs! My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!" Aang exclaimed, voice high and desperate to get his frogs back, and frozen again. He begins to struggle again as the frogs hop away toward the door, croaking as they escaped under the door.

"No come back! Ughh! Why is this happening to me!?"

[[BANG!]]

Aang jerked his head up at the sound of a struggle on the other side of the iron door. The fracas outside died down after awhile, the door to his champers slowly opened and entered a fairly muscular figure dressed in all black wearing a blue mask that resembled a demon and carrying dual swords stepped into his holding chamber. Aang's eyes grew wide with fear as the masked man brandished his two curved swords.

"W-who are you!?" Aang stared wide eyed at the man in the blue demons mask. Without saying anything in return the masked man lunged at him, wildly swinging his razor sharp swords. Screaming in terror, Aang squeezed his eyes shut and braced for the sharp searing pain of his impending death.

But the pain never came, instead the masked man sliced through the chains holding him up instead like they were nothing. Aang fell to his feet, pulling his arms up to protect himself, mouth hanging open as he gaped up at his mysterious savior who just freed him. But why? Aang didn't know the answer to that question. Who was this man anyway? And why did he sneak into a heavily guarded Fire Nation stronghold to rescue him?

These were questions he would have to ask the man later, but right now his main priority was getting out of this place, and quickly.

He looked at his liberator in wonder. Walking closer to Aang the masked man cut his remaining bonds, turning away, and walking back toward the door he came through without saying a single word.

Aang watch as he open the door and peeked out, making sure the coast was clear before they could leave. Before the silence could drag on, Aang decided to question his savior one last time, "Who are you? What's going on? Are you here to rescue me?" Aang asked in quick succession, rubbing at his sore wrists, waiting for an answer to his many questions.

The masked man did not answer only turning and motioning for him to follow. "I'll take that as a, yes." Aang mumbled, before following his savior out of his chambers and into a hallway lit by candles along the wall.

Following the man out, passing gagged and bound guards at the door to his chambers, Aang looked quizzingly up at the masked man. But he still remained silent. Aang perked up when the sound of frogs croaking caught his ear. Turning to see the not frozen frogs hopping about on the floor, with a surprised gasp, Aang began chasing after the amphibians. "My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" aang exclaimed as he tried grabbing the unfrozen frogs. The masked man came back when he realized Aang wasn't following him and hoists the smaller boy up by the collar and threw him over his shoulder, carrying him down the hall as Aang struggled desperately in the strong arms of his masked liberator, fruitlessly reaching out for his lost frogs. "Wait! My friends need to suck on those frogs!" but his pleas fell on deaf ears as he was carried away from the thawed out frogs.

ATLA

Aang and his savior fought their way brazenly through the stronghold. Aang bending powerful gust of air at any soldiers that rushed him while the masked man cut through others who got too close to his sharp and deadly blades.

After a valiant struggle, Aang and the masked man made it out of the gate, and safely across the stone but it seemed that the masked man had other plans that currently had him pressed against Aang's back with his dual blade crossed across his neck cautiously backing away out of the open gate across a stone bridge leading into the thick forest behind.

"What are you doing?" Aang whispered over his shoulder, panic setting in. His first thought was that his savior was betraying him. But that fear was put to rest when the man shushed him, continuing to back away from the fortress. Aang understood what he was doing now. He was tricking Zhao into thinking if he didn't let them go he would kill Aang. As scary as that sounded, it was smart. Zhao would have no choice to let them go are risk having the Avatar die, even though he didn't think the masked man would let that happen, he thinks.

"How could you let them go?!" an Officer exclaimed, glaring at Admiral Zhao, who was busy watching as the intruder dragged away their prisoner.

Not sparing a sideways glance at the other man, Zhao casually stated to the officer, his voice low, "A situation like this requires... precision. Do you have a clear shot?" Zhao called over to a hidden archer poised ready to fire an arrow at the intruder.

The archer raised his bow and arrow, pointing it straight at his target. "Knock out the thief. I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord. And leave the Avatar alive, I want him." Zhao ordered, watching as the archer fired the arrow, sailing through the air straight at it's intended target.

Aang gasped softly, seeing the blur of an object shoot passed his head, hitting the masked man behind him with a loud "CLANK!" as the arrow collided with the metal mask, Effectively knocking out the masked man.

Aang whirled around, seeing that the man lay unconscious on the ground. Thinking quickly Aang quickly airbended a swirl of dust up into the air effortlessly surrounding then in a cloud for cover. Inside the dust cloud, Aang looked the unconscious man over debating what he would have to do.

Aang, hesitantly, reached out a trembling hand and removed the man's mask to reveal… Zuko? Aang's grey eyes grew impossibly wide, backing away in surprise, falling backward onto the ground in complete disbelief that Zuko… the prince of the Fire Nation was the one who saved him?

A blush came to his cheeks as he looked at the familiar scar that marred the side of his Prince's face. Zuko? But why? Aang thought as he eyed the unconscious Prince. Jumping to his feet , Aang made to run away, but stopped to look back at Zuko. He couldn't just leave him behind, could he?

"Zuko…"

No. Zuko had risked his life to come and get him out of the hands of the Fire Nation. He couldn't just leave the one who saved him to die. The one he… No, he had to get them both to safety before Zhao and his men got to them.

Squinting through the smoke, Aang could see soldiers coming out of the strongholds gate and running towards them. Aang, acting quickly, hauled the heavy, muscled body on his back and took of into the thick forest ahead.

As the dust cleared, the soldiers came to the spot where the Avatar and the thief were but they found nothing. The Avatar… and the thief were gone. No traces to where they could have disappeared to.

ATLA