* Disclaimer I do not own the characters or stories of Avatar the Last Airbender. This story will take place after Aang is struck by lightning in the end of Book 2 battle of Ba Sing Se. This is my first time writing a story like this and I hope you enjoy it.

* I am working on more chapters...I know it's been a while I had a lot going on and then I had a difficult time with a transition chapter. I thought it best to go back and edit as I worked forward.

Chapter 1

Katara held Aang in her lap as she used her spirit water to heal him Please don't let him be dead. Please, please no. She begged silently. Sokka steered Appa over the Ba Sing Se wall, flying as fast as possible to the ocean attempting to put many miles between them and Azula and Zuko. After what seemed like hours, tho it'd only been minutes, Aang moaned and opened his eyes for just a moment before passing out again from the pain. Katara exhaled the breath she was holding in relief and moved Aang into Toph's lap so she could move to the front to speak with Sokka about their destination.

Just as she reached the edge of the saddle fire balls begin to stream through the air causing Appa to growl and swerve. She leaned over the side and saw Fire Nation soldiers standing upon a deck at the ships harbor. Her heart dropped as fear engulfed her…not again not while Aang is hurt…he isn't even conscious she thought.

"Hang on!" Sokka shouted as he tried to help Appa weave through the smoke and fire, unconsciously tossing Toph, Aang, and Katara around the saddle. Katara attempted to grasp the edge of the saddle but her sweaty palms couldn't seem to get a good grip. Just then three fireballs came sailing straight at Appa, Sokka pulled back hard on the reins steering Appa straight up to avoid the collision. Katara's eyes went wide as she tumbled backwards out of the saddle and began to fall.

Though everything happened in a matter of seconds Katara took it all in; the three large fireballs barely missing Appa's tail, Sokka's face scrunched in concentration trying to save everyone, Toph holding on for dear life to the saddle and Aang. Katara reached out scrambling to grasp the saddle, Appa's hair, anything…but her fingers couldn't seem to prevent her fall. The air whistled and rushed around her, swallowing her scream, as she fell slowly backwards and down into the icy water.

The force of which she collided with the water took her breath away. Pain pierced every inch of her body as she struggled to move...to kick….to propel herself to the surface. Her hands outstretched…reaching for the light above. Her lungs screaming in protest, fighting for breath as her vision began to blur and darken around the edges.

The Fire Nation soldiers upon the deck watched as a body dressed in blue fell from the sky, landing with a hard splash into the water. They're unable to tell who fell, but knew they had to reach them…just in case it was the Avatar. All the while, Sokka continued to climb higher and higher to escape the fireball range when suddenly he heard Toph screaming his name. "SOKKA! SOKKA! Stop! You need to Stop! Katara!" Sokka leveled Appa out and turned to Toph.

"What are you saying about Katara?" his eyes swept around the saddle and saw that Toph was holding Aang and that Katara...Katara wasn't anywhere. Sokka looked around the saddle again and then over each side of Appa to see if maybe she was hanging onto his side.

"She fell out" Toph said pointedly "When you jerked Appa straight up she fell backwards. I heard her pass me but I was barely hanging on to twinkle toes and the saddle." she said with frustration. Sokka stilled from the shock and looked down to try and see if she missed the ship. To see if she was safe. She had to be safe for him. She could waterbend! he thought, he'd be able to see it from here. But as he looked down to the harbor he couldn't see anything happening. No fireballs were being thrown and the water looked unnaturally still. Toph's words sliced through the silent panic rising in him "If she survived they'll have kidnapped her already. We can't take them, not without Aang! And if you haven't noticed he's a bit out of sorts."

Sokka held tightly to Appa's reins trying to make a decision: risk their lives, Aang's life, the war, and possibly the world to save his sister or leave and try to break her out another day. If she survived, his eyes burned as he held back tears refusing to believe she was gone…she couldn't be, she was the strong one...not him.

The answer was obvious he knew, but it didn't make it any easier. He let out a long breath and focused on the sky ahead of them "We have to save Aang" he said flatly "she's strong and can make it Toph. We will come back for her, but…we can't...we...we can't risk the lives of thousands for just hers. She…she'll understand." A tear slid down Sokka's cheek, Toph didn't respond as she slumped back against the saddle and clung to Aang. Each of them sent up a silent prayer for Katara.

The sky bison was out of range, but as a gift for Azula two soldiers dove into the water to apprehend the fallen figure. After a few minutes of searching they grasped Katara's arms and dragged her to the main ship.

Katara thought the pain would never end and began to welcome the darkness…the cold...the peace. Just as the pain seemed to be ebbing away…pain...pain worse than before broke across her chest. She tried to cry out but there was something blocking her throat…something slowly bubbling up. Her eyes fluttered and opened as a gruff voice screamed at her to "Breath! Come on…just breath!".

Water began to bubble up in her throat and she rolled to cough it out as the man's heavy hand slapped her on the back to help expel the water. "Good, good. We need you alive. Princess Azula will be most pleased that we caught someone traveling with the avatar" is all she heard as she tried to focus on her surroundings, but all she could make out was a blurry face with a wicked grin before all went black once more.

Sounds of men rushing back and forth shouting orders at one another roused her from the blissful oblivion. She laid upon a cold hard metal floor, her hands held tightly together. Visions of the previous night flashed through her mind. Zuko's sadness as they discussed their mothers. The feel of his scar beneath her fingertips as she attempted to trust him. Azula's attack and Zuko's imminent betrayal. Aang…Aang and she fighting for their lives against Zuko, Azula, and over a dozen dai li agents. Aang being struck by lightning and falling as Katara rushed to catch him. Flying on the back of Appa while healing Aang's scarred body. The Fire Nation's fireballs. Falling...falling into deep icy water and then coughing it up in front of a blurry soldier.

Katara opened her eyes and focused on the hard iron shackles biting into her wrists. She shook her head in attempt to clear the fog and looked around to see the bars in front of her and a chain leading from her hands to her feet, also clad in irons. How long has she been here she wonders?

She sat up as best she could and shivered in her soaking wet blue dress. Attempting to warm herself she tried to bend the water from her dress but the shackles have bound her hands so tightly together she was unsuccessful. Again, and again she tried but nothing seemed to work. Leaning back against the wall she was no longer able to keep the panic and fear from her mind. She'd been locked in a cell on a Fire Nation's ship not knowing for how long, unable to bend water, freezing in her clothes, and in desperate need of food and water. Her throat was sore from the salt water she had swallowed. What will they do with me? Toss me in prison? Execute me? Enslave me? Horrific images flooded her mind as she waited on the cold metal floor trembling with cold.

On the deck in the setting sun, the soldiers assembled for attention while Princess Azlua ascended the ramp, her brother Prince Zuko followed close behind. The soldier's saluted as the commanding officer stepped forward bowing low in greeting the Prince and Princess. "Evening your highness, I hope your stay in Ba Sing Se was to your liking."

"It was indeed Commander Chan. My brother and I have been reunited and we have apprehended a traitor in the process" she gestured to her uncle as he was brought onto the ship in stone bindings by the dai li "What news do you have for us?"

"Your highness we saw the sky bison fly overhead and attempted to shoot it down. We were unsuccessful," Azula scoffed "but a young water tribe girl fell during the assault. We have her in custody below." Zuko's eyes widened as Azula grinned wickedly. Images of Katara in the crystal catacombs invaded his mind...her tenderness and gentle touch.

"Bring her here" Azula said with a deadly calm. The commander nodded to two soldiers who disappeared below deck to retrieve the girl. Fear for the little waterbender ebbed into his mind. He knew just how cruel Azula could be. He wondered what she planned to do...torture and kill her? Give her to the men on board for entertainment? Save her for his father? Anger and something like jealousy rose in his throat like bile.

After only a few moments, the two men returned with Katara in tow, bound in iron chains and soaking wet. Zuko frowned as he witnessed the goosebumps rising upon her skin and the way she shivered in the cool wind. Her dark hair was loose around her shoulders and she looked bedraggled. He was assaulted by the crystal catacombs once more where Katara reached out to caress his face and offered to heal his disgraceful scar. Before his sister offered him his honor on a silver platter.

Though part of him felt sorrow for betraying Katara, a bigger part was happy to be heading home. Zuko glanced at Azula and recognized the menacing smile she made causing him deeper concern. Without explanation he felt an overwhelming need to protect her from Azula's cruelty. Zuko stepped towards his sister with a look of twisted rage upon his face.

"I've been chasing them around the world. Each time they have eluded capture, let me have her. I think I have earned some spoils of this war and from the years of exile" he spat. He looked cruel as Azula eyed him apprehensively.

"Fine Zu Zu you can have her, but she's your responsibility and you'll answer for any mistake she makes. Understand?" Zuko nodded curtly. "Make sure she doesn't escape or mess up my ship" she ordered before turning to speak with Commander Chan about their departure. Zuko stepped forward and grasped Katara's upper arm before marching off to his room dragging his unwilling prisoner behind.