Disclaimer: I do NOT own avatar the last airbender. I have some Zutara one shots posted on my profile. Reviews tell me how I did. :) Hope you like, I will post a new chapter tomorrow.

The war is over and the Gaang are in the Fire Nation. Sokka, Katara, and Suki are going back to the Southern Water Tribe. Katara refuses though, because she does not want to go back with her father and his new "girlfriend."

They met while the war was still going on, and you could say it was love at first sight. Only to Katara, it was more like blinded by lies. Hakoda cannot see through the thick layer of make up and abuse to see the real her. Katara can though, and she's not liking it.

The woman is abusive, bossy, and controlling. She's just using Hakoda for the publicity, and richness. She only claims to "love" him because he's the Chief of the tribe.

So, you might ask, why does Katara care? Why doesn't Katara just leave and live somewhere else? She could, if it weren't for the fact that Katara, is not of marrying age. She still has to live with her father, which means living with the witch.

Sokka, oh Sokka. He's free to go, he's free because he's sixteen, and living with Suki on Kyoshi Island.

Katara's P.O.V

"We really will miss you guys." Zuko said, interrupting my thoughts. We we're all hanging out together, Zuko, Ty Lee, Mai, Aang, Toph, Sokka, Suki, and me. I was terrified of leaving, because of what that woman might do to me. I'm not going with Aang, because he's traveling the world, trying to find out more about the airbenders. Toph is going back to the Earth Kingdom, to set up a metalbending school. Sokka is going with Suki, so he doesn't have to be with dad. I'm stuck, all alone, forever.

"So what's everyone doing now that the war is over? Besides Aang and I." Toph said.

"I'm going back to the circus!" Ty Lee cheered. "I've missed it too much."

"I'm thinking about moving back to Omashu." Mai announced. "I've actually grown to like the place, it's nice."

"Something wrong Katara?" Aang asked, directing the attention to me. I didn't reply though, just no wanting to.

"She's upset because she has to live with our dad." Sokka explained.

"What's wrong with that?" Toph asked. "I thought you loved your dad."

"It's not my dad, its his girlfriend." Sokka replied, frowning a little.

"What's wrong with his girlfriend?" Zuko asked.

"She's rude, and abusive!" I yelled, getting up and storming out of the room. I can't believe this is happening. Why can't he see what's going on? Why does my father have to love her? How can he love at all after what happened to my mother?

I continued walking until I reached the turtle duck pond by the big cherry tree. I sat down by the water, and started feeding them the bread I snuck out here.

"You remind me a lot of my mother," A voice spoke from behind me. I turned, to see Zuko leaning against the big tree.

"I've got a lot on my mind," I replied, turning back to the pond. "I don't need your proverbs."

"Who ever said it was?" He asked, sitting next to me. I continued throwing tiny pieces of bread into the water, the little ducks tugging away at the grain.

"Will you tell me what happened?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't need the Fire Lord into my business." I retorted.

"I wasn't asking as the Fire Lord, I'm asking, as your friend, Zuko. No titles, no other people to get in the way, just you, and me, talking." He said, throwing his own bread into the pond. Tears trims the edge of my eyes, and I could barely hang on.

"She hit me at your coordination, when no one was looking, she slapped me right across the face." I sobbed, tears spilling over.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Zuko asked, frowning a little.

"She threatened me," I replied.

"And you're going to take that? You're Katara, master waterbender of the South Pole. You went against me and my sister back in Ba Sing Se, when the Avatar was down. Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, and you're going to back down because of a little threat? The Katara I know would never do that-"

"She's not threatening to hurt me," I interrupted. "she's threatening to assassinate my father."

"I'm sorry, I just thought that-"

"I'm stupid for being weak?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.

"No! No, no, no, Katara, you could never be weak, even if you were forced to, you couldn't be."

"Thanks, it means a lot." I said, leaning my head on his shoulder, needing the comfort.

We sat in silence, just thinking about each other's problems.

"We need to get you away from her. Why don't you just move out?" Zuko asked, breaking the silence.

"It's not that simple." I replied, closing my eyes.

"Sure it is, you could even move to the Fire Nation, I'm sure your father would-" I cut him off.

"No, you don't understand." I said, taking a deep breath. "Even if I did want to, I couldn't. I'm not of marrying age yet, and even when I am sixteen, I can leave my father's house until I'm engaged. It's a lose/lose situation."

Zuko was quiet as he processed these thoughts.

"What if you were in danger," Zuko whispered, sounding like he thought of something.

"Danger?" I asked, sitting up to look at him.

"Yeah, like when the war was still going on, you were being tracked by an earthbender, or some crazy assassin." Zuko said. "And the only way for you to be safe, is with me."

"My father would never believe that." I rolled my eyes.

"It's worth a try," He replied softly. "would you rather be with me, here, or in the Water Tribe, with her."

He is making sense. But is it worth lying to my father?

My fingers brushed against my cheek, where the woman had slapped me. I could still feel the burn, the impact.

"Let's try it."