Summary: "Zhao captures Katara and for her there is no hope left. Well, not until as certain someone saves her." - Yes the classic, but now it's my turn. Zutara all the way! Warnings are inside. Please R&R and will be grateful to you! :)

Title: Hope
Author: Xhope-is-beautifulx
Category: Avatar the Last Airbender, the Legend of Aang.
Rating: Rated T - M (PG: 13-16)
Genres: Hurt/Comfort/Romance/Angst
Pairings: ZUTARA of course!
Warnings: Dark themes, mild language use, violence and a character death near the end.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar the Last Airbender the Legend of Aang, nor do I own its characters. However, I do own MY OC's.

A/N: Yes, yes the classic, but it never gets too old. After three days of hard work... I came up with this. Well, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don't worry; I hope you see a twist!

Thank you and enjoy!

Hope x

Chapter One: Captured

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Katara sighed happily as she lifted herself down into the refreshing water. She needed a break and this was just perfect for her. But ever since she arrive, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, but she was too tired to take notice of this feeling and tried to forget about it.

Unknown to her, she had just made the worst mistake of her young life. She had let her guard down.

Katara smiled to herself as the cool water lapped over her tired body. She hadn't felt this good in so long. All three of them had been travelling for days; trying to get away from Prince Zuko. Appa was so tired and they knew they had to land. They didn't have a choice in the matter, unless they wanted Appa to make a crash landing somewhere in the freezing ocean. Once they reached the island they realized that no one else was around. It seemed no one had lived on the island for over a hundred years; the island itself was too hot for anyone to live on it for a long period of time.

While Katara took a bath, Sokka had gone looking for food, however, Aang had told him not to go too far in land. Unless he wanted to be cooked alive. Katara knew her brother liked food, but she always knew he wasn't that desperate. Well she hoped he wasn't.

As Sokka went "hunting" or so he put it. Aang set up the campsite. Well, to the best of his abilities. Katara would usually have done the cooking and cleaning by now. But Aang told her to go and have a break and after a bit of protesting from Katara, Aang finally convicted her that she need some sort of break. So, she went to the river to have a relaxation swim. She was still surprised that this island even had a river, or trees... but it seemed to be just cool enough on the outlands of the island to sustain water and a bit of green. Katara was also a little confused how Aang knew so much about this place. But for now she let it go. For once she didn't have to worry about a thing.

She had been in the river for ten minutes now, and the feeling she was being watched became stronger, she looked behind her. Her blue eyes scanned the forest outline. The trees were still. There was nothing there. Or so Katara thought.

Her shoulders relaxed at little at this.

She lifted some water out of the river and began to bend it.

This will calm my nerves. She thought to herself.

Using her hands to control the water she soon got into it and the feeling of being watched went away. But it never escaped the back of her mind. She knew there was something or someone out there.

The wind was also starting to pick up and the heat of the river began to increase. Or maybe it was just her imagination. She couldn't be sure.

I should get out... Her mind was everywhere. She didn't know if it was right to leave in case there really was someone's presents behind her.

Katara quickly and quietly got out of the river and rapped a thin blanket round her half naked body. She had decided to let her wet hair dry itself, she let it dangle freely to try in the baking sun.

The sun here was unnatural hot. There was no life, well, not animal and human life that is. However, for a short period of time people could stay on the island, but this would be only for a couple nights at a time. Otherwise the heat would get too unbearable. Aang had told them both that this island would be the perfect place to keep safe from the Fire Nation soldiers. According to Aang only the most dishonourable of Fire benders would step onto these lands. This island... was where dishonourable and banished members of the Fire Nation were sent to... die.

Dying by your own element... it was unthinkable, it must be unbearable to think of. Even people from the Fire Nation didn't deserve something like that to happen to them. Drowning was horrible but quick. Being crushed wasn't painless, but it was also fast. Suffocation was just slow. Fire on the other hand wasn't quick and it was far from painless. If could take up to ten minutes to kill any Fire bender. That's what made it so inhumane, a Fire bender is designed to withstand heat, smoke and fire for a long period of time. While a Water bender would take only five and a half minutes to die in a smoked out place. A Fire bender could take up to fifteen minutes or more to die. Sometimes it was useful, however, most of the time it was used to murder them or as the Fire Nation put it, "to punish them."

Lies.

But on an island like this... it could take up to two days to kill a full grown Fire bender. But that doesn't mean it wasn't painless.

This just showed people what the leaders of the Fire Nation did to their own people and it also showed the rest of the world how far the leadership of the Fire Nation had fallen.

Later on that night Katara re-joined Aang and her brother on the beach where their campfire had been set up. She sat next Aang and gave him a warm smile. He smiled right back at her.

"So Katara, did enjoy your break?" He asked. Katara just nodded at him; still with a smile across her lips. Then Aang looked over at Sokka, who didn't look too pleased. "What's up, Sokka? Didn't you catch-"

He didn't let Aang finish. "It's too hot to hunt here Aang." He muttered.

"Of course it is... this is where Fire benders are sent to die. There's nothing here but skeletons of the old." Aang just shrugged his shoulders. "We'll get food on the next island anyway. So stop looking so miserable." Sokka didn't seem to agree with Aang's statement. His face said it all.

"Yeah sure." Sokka still wasn't convicted. Aang just looked at Katara with a confused look on his innocent face.

"Don't worry Aang, we'll set off in the morning, find a market and Sokka will have a smile back on his face again. Katara looked at her brother.

"Why don't you go and have a wash in the river, huh?" Katara asked. "It will make you feel better." She looked back of at Aang. "Why don't you go with him? Have some time to yourselves."

"Katara, I know what you're doing. You want to be alone so you can practice your Water bending."

"So..." a smirk came onto her face. "Anyway, you both need a wash. You smell, both of you!"

"No we-"

"Sokka, just leave it, I have to agree. We haven't had a wash in two days." Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He snapped. "But you better not-"

"I'll be fine. Just go..."

Katara didn't need to tell them where the river was, Aang seemed to know the way. Once the turned the corner she was alone, and the feeling that she was being watched suddenly began to return. But all she did was ignore it. Katara stood up and walked towards the sea. Water bending scroll in hand.

About half an hour into her practice session Katara heard a noise. It was a little strange because the only thing that should be making any noise was the ocean and the wind. There was nothing else here. Katara looked around her, but there was nothing there.

Katara sighed.

I'm just hearing things, there's nothing there. If there was anyone there; how could they stay hidden for so long?

Katara just went back to her Water bending. She had let her guard down once again and because of this, she was oblivious to the man standing right behind her.

After about half a minute, she started to feel the presents behind her. It didn't register at first but it caused her body to go stiff. She stopped Water bending, letting the sea water drop back into the sea.

By now, she knew there was someone behind her. She turned and there he was. Standing tall, with his horrible face and his over powering stature. She had expected Zuko. Not this man...

Who-?

"Well, hello there, Miss."

He's playing with me! - Katara's eyes studied him, apart from a smug look and an over powering smell of alcohol, she didn't know what to think of him. She didn't even know who he was.

Katara raised some water back into her hands, ready to give him the water whip if he tried anything. But even with a determined look in her eye. He didn't seem at all effected.

"Now, what is a beautiful girl like yourself walking around all on your own?

That voice! Where have I heard that voice before?

Katara didn't answer him. She was too busy trying to figure out who he was.

"Well?" He tried again. All Katara did then was look into his eyes. He had the most greediest of eyes. Even someone who was uneducated could tell that he was power-hungry. But weren't all Fire benders power-hungry?

She seemed to recognize him from somewhere, he-

ZHAO! Her eyes went wide with dread. Zhao! But Aang had said that no Fire benders would dare step here. So, why was he here?

All Katara did then was throw the water she had in her hands into his face. While he was desecrated by this, Katara started to run. She ran as fast as her little legs could take her.

She needed to find Aang and her brother.

As she ran she heard Zhao shouting at his men, screaming even. "Get that little bitch! Bring her here NOW!" A fire ball soon made its way towards Katara, however, she somehow dodged it.

How can fully armoured men run so fast?!

She was now being chased by full trained Fire benders; a girl can only run so fast for so long, they would soon catch up to her. Another fire ball whizzed through the air and this time it hit her, right on the side. She screamed before falling right down to the sand.

Katara couldn't move.

Zhao's men soon caught up with her. They had picked her up and dragged her all the way back to Zhao and Katara had screamed all the way back. She had let the tears of pain fall. The area where she was hit hurt so much. It stung and it burned.

There was no point in her struggling. She wanted to, so badly. But it would only make it worse.

Once they had gotten back to where she had started the Fire bender's put her on her knees in front of Zhao. The only thing Katara could do was look at him. She tried to stop the tears, but they just kept falling.

The he just slapped her. His hand was hot and her head swung to the right side, all the way it could. Her eyes were wide and her mouth partly opened. She was in shock; Katara felt like her cheek was on fire, there was nothing she could do, but look at the ground.

"Now, let's start again." He knelt down to her height. Katara just looked away from him; an angry look covered her now half swallow face. But he wanted her to look at him so he grabbed her chin and forced her to face forward. "I know you travel with the Avatar. So... where is he?"

"I'm not telling you, you-"

"I think you are. Because if you don't..." He leaned forward and whispered into her ear, so only she could hear. "I'll kill everyone that is left in your village and then I'll track your father down and I will kill him as well, however, I will give you the pleasure of watching. Would you like that... Katara?"

NO! Wait how did this man know my name? Unfortunately for Katara she didn't have time to answer such questions.

"Don't-" She stared but then looked away from him, she didn't know what to do.

"Don't what?" He asked. Katara sighed sadly.

"I don't know where he is, okay?" She bravely looked back up and Zhao, "but you can torture me all you like, but I won't let Aang down!" She snapped. "I will never tell you where he is!"

Zhao's eyes flared. He raised his hand up again. Katara closed her eyes and got ready for the impact but it never came. As she opened her eyes again she noticed that the bastard wasn't even facing her any more, he was shouting at a young soldier and Katara couldn't help a little bit of pity for the boy. However, Zhao soon turned back to Katara.

"Fine! I haven't got time for this now... but you're coming with me, wherever you like it or not, you understand, peasant?" At that moment, Katara spat in his face. He almost seemed to fly backwards in response. This was a bold move to make, but before Katara could be proud of herself for doing such a thing, one of Zhao's men step forward and he kicked her hard in the chest winding her. She just collapsed to the floor breathless.

She could still hear them speaking and the last thing she heard was "Knock her out and bring her to the ship!" She heard some kind of spitting nose before she felt a blot for pain serge up through her body.

Oh, Aang! Please... don't let him find you...

Everything went dark.

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"Sir?" Zhao turned slightly turned around.

"What?! He snapped back.

"We've put the girl in the barracks, the doctors has looked over her. She'll live, however, she still hasn't woken."

"Very good!" He motioned the guard away, with that; the guard bowed and walked away, he didn't want to risk his life with Zhao.

Zhao's plan was working. He had ordered most of his guards to search the rest of the island for the Avatar. The captain had refused; saying it would take days to cover such a huge island and that most of the island wasn't even assessable; and so, because of this the captain paid with his life.

A smile came to Zhao's ugly face. He had the Water bending peasant, he would soon have the Avatar. Once he did, Zuko would be taken care of and he wouldn't just rule over the Fire Nation, he would rule the Water Nations too.

Because he planned to make Katara his.

That evil smile never left his face.

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A/N: The classic! Well, almost... I hope you liked it! Over three days and 2,772 words later I have finished the first chapter. Well, please tell me what you think in a review and the next chapter should be up sometime next week. ;)

Until then! Happy reading!

Hope x