Chapter One: Just Lucky

I think we have an emergency.

I think we have an emergency...

Great. I've been standing outside the book store ever since it closed. Which was almost two hours ago. My brother was supposed to pick me up an hour ago. But, just like Sokka, he's no where to be found. Some brother he is. He's probably too busy doing God knows what with his girlfriend to even remember he left me standing out here.

I've tried calling my idiot brother over and over again. His phone was off, and I left hundreds of voicemails. At least, until my phone died. Geesh. Just my luck, right? It's 11:30 at night, and instead of being safe and secure at home, I'm leaning on a wall with a useless cell phone crammed into my jean's pocket.

Well this is just great. I mean, what am I supposed to do now? All the stores in the area are probably close now, and I don't even have chump change to afford a taxi or even catch a bus. It's pathetic. The only choice I have now that my phone's dead is to walk 7 blocks to get home.

Wait. Who am I kidding? It's night-time, and I'm a lonely female. Walking the streets at night is definitely not safe. I mean, I could get kidnapped or raped or something horrible of that nature. But what other option do I have? None, so walking would have to be my last resort.

Even though I knew most terrible things happen to women alone at night, I leaned off of the wall and begun my trek down the street. I walked on the sidewalk---illuminated by the plenty restaurants and shop signs lining the street. Every once in awhile a car would zoom past me. But never too often.

I'd been walking the streets for an hour before I finally got to the residential area. It wasn't my neighborhood, but close enough. Realizing I only had three more blocks to walk before I would reach my destination, the thought of walking didn't seem so horrible to me anymore. I mean, the sky wasn't pitch-black---it was pierced with a couple of white stars. The air was cool and breezy, too. The only bad thing about walking is that my feet were killing me. Damn. I knew I shouldn't have worn those flats today.

I was almost sort of glad that Sokka forgot to pick me up. Walking down the streets allowed me to just concentrate on everything foggy in my mind. Helped me realize that I shouldn't be moping over being dumped by Jet. After all, we'd only been going out for five months. Until he dumped me for another girl. Ty Lee. But whatever.

I don't need him. I'm just fine by myself.

As I turned the corner, I thought I heard noises---like faint whispers or something. I listened closely for a minute, but didn't hear them again, so I continued walking down the sidewalk. Then I heard it again, like it was getting closer. I stopped walking for a moment, then crept around the side of a building of what seemed like the source of the voices were coming from. As I listened closer, I heard the voices clearer, so I could distinguish that the voices belonged to two guys.

"I told you. I'm not doing that shit anymore," the voice snarled angrily. A voice that sounded eerily familiar...

I heard a laugh come from another guy. "Just because you aren't doing it doesn't mean someone else isn't. What gives you the reason to snitch about it to the police? That shipment was important, you dumb ass. You're fucking lucky Feng didn't shoot your ass right there, 'cause dammit, I would have shot you to death," the voice uttered in a cold, emotionless voice. What were these guys talking about? Drugs, maybe?

"You're supposed to be my father. You're supposed to at least act like you give a shit about me!!" the first voice yelled.

The second voice spoke up quickly, barking out, "Why should I? It's obvious you don't have any respect for me--the way you're swaring at me now. So why shouldn't I teach you a lesson? Why shouldn't I put you to sleep?"

"What the hell? You're referring to me as if I'm a dog! What kind of father are you?"

"What kind of son are you is a better question!! You're so pitiful, I'm ashamed to even claim you as my own. I give you one task and you fuck it up. You're sister is a better son than you could even pretend to be," the second voice lashed.

There was a break in the conversation before the first voice spoke again, "You can't disown your son just because you don't approve of their actions."

"Foolish boy. Who are you to tell me what I cannot do? You have no right. You are only an ignorant child who needs to learn how to hold his tongue. Think you can disrespect me without paying for it, huh? Is that what you think now that you're a teenager? Do I have to refresh your memory of why you've the scar on your face? DO I? "

Wow. I could not believe what I was hearing. At all. I mean, these two guys were father and son. But the father is acting like an egocentric, headstrong maniac and treating his son like dirt. I feel bad for him--the son, I mean; he had to live with a heartless bastard all his life. How terrible. But somehow, I have a feeling I know the son...I know I've heard the voice before but, I just can't piece it all together.

There was an even longer pause now, then there was a shuffling sound until I heard a clicking sound. "Well? Are you going to answer or what?" the voice asked impatiently. Another pause.

Huffing the second voice said, "Fine. You are no use to me--you're worthless. It's not like someone will care when they notice you've not come home." There was the clicking sound again and then----

I screamed "stop" and somehow managed to run over to the guys and knock the pistol out of the man's hand before it went POW!!! but I was too late. I succeeded in knocking the gun to the ground, and as I looked at the two I noticed that neither of them were wounded so I guess the gunshot went through the air.

I bounced off of the ground and stood still--well aside from my jittering fingers. The man, who'd I assumed was the father, was looking at me with an expression of pure fury on his face. His eyes were nothing but cold and emotionless as he walked towards me slowly. I backed up nervously, trying to escape him, but I ended up bumping into another guy. I turned my head for a quick moment and there stood the son. The familiar face of Zuko.

I must've looked dumbfounded realizing that I was leaning on Zuko, just as his shocked expression revealed when he recognized me. "You idiot girl. Who the hell are you?" his father's voice boomed at me. I faced him again, tilting my head back for a view of his face, which was still filled with nothing but hate and anger.

"I-I-uh-um..." I stuttered out, fiddling around with my hair and staring down at my feet. This guy was intimidating. Scared me to death.

"I don't care, forget it. Move out the way. I have business to deal with," the man said, walking a distance away and bending down to clutch the platinum pistol in his large hand.

"No," I said in a voice barely audible.

"What?" the guy asked.

"I said no. I won't move," I said in a louder voice, shaking off some of the fear that clouded my mind.

The man chuckled, humorless and cold. Like he was mocking me. He walked closer. "Ignorant girl. I will shoot you to get to him."

"Go ahead," I challenged. I didn't know where all this nerve was coming from, but I felt like the guy was all talk. "Shoot me. 'Cause I'm not moving."

"Katara...." Zuko shockingly said, grabbing my arm in his hand. "Move, please," he pleaded. I'd never heard Zuko plead. Not once in the five years I've known him. But I still wasn't going to listen, my mind was set, and I wasn't giving up, even if the person I'm risking my life for is Zuko.

"Fine. Have it your way," his father said. He pulled the trigger once again.

POW!!!

I fell to the ground, and before I knew it, I fell into a world of darkness.