O.k, very sorry this took so long, was only meant to take a day, two days tops, but then i got ill, so you know. Plus friends were idiots and fell out etc making a huge mess i had to sort out! So anyway, here it is, not sure how i feel about it, hoping the next one will be better.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything...at all.
Chapter 2
Turning around in alarm she looked for the source of the sound. There, emerging from the bushes behind her, was the person she least expected and least wanted to see.
"YOU!"
Zuko was about to reply when a large wall of water slammed into him knocking him back into the bushes where he had come from. He looked up to see her standing above him, a dark shadow against the night sky.
"Why are you here?" she said, her arms hovering above him threateningly.
"We need to talk, please just listen," he pleaded. He seemed so broken, so unlike his usual self, almost like he had been in the cave. Had she been less angry she may have softened a little and granted his request, as it was it passed by unnoticed.
"Listen? I listened before and where did it get me? You know, I nearly believed you, nearly believed you had changed…"
"I have changed," he winced at the bad choice of words, "I mean…" but it was too late, the damage had been done. In an instant Katara was plunged into the last disastrous battle, the pain, the fear at nearly having lost Aang and the sting of Zuko's betrayal.
With a frustrated scream she poured most of the streams contents over the Prince. She then forgot about her element and launched herself at him, slapping, kicking and biting, determined to hurt him as much as possible.
Slowly, reluctantly, Zuko realised he would have to stop her by force, one after the other he caught her wrists in his hands, effectively blocking her movements. He had not wished to use violence against the girl and was concerned at how white her wrists became under his grip as she struggled against him.
The familiarity of the situation was apparent to both; Zuko tried to hide his shame at being caught in a position that highlighted his past regrets and mistakes, Katara simply glared at him with cold eyes.
Slowly but surely she began to step backwards, calmly attempting to pull herself away from him; she wasn't struggling as such, just trying to free herself, to serenely slip from his grasp. He followed her forewords with every step she took, as if they were dancing without music. His eyes pleaded with hers to listen, to give in, to allow him a chance but they were met with the stone-cold indifference of her own eyes, the fire in them caused by her anger, only moments before, had now dulled into nothingness.
There was danger though, hidden behind that passive exterior. It was as if they were under a spell, there seemed to be no sound, no concept of where they were; it felt almost as if they were underwater. Zuko was afraid, very afraid, of breaking the spell but knew it must be done soon, every second added to the tension.
"Please I don't want to hurt you -"
It broke. He could have sworn he heard a faint smash as Katara's eyes burned.
"Hurt me? You don't want to hurt me?" Her voice was rising to slightly hysterical levels, "you've already hurt me Zuko – I trusted you, I thought – I'm ashamed to remember what I thought then," her voice trailed off into nothingness, the spark gone.
"I'm sorry."
She looked up at him in disbelief; he'd said it before and she had believed him, well you know what they say: once bitten, twice shy. In a sudden surge of strength Katara tried to pull herself backwards out of his grasp. The momentum created by this resulted in Zuko following her movements until both collided with a tree. Katara was trapped with her back against the tree, caged by Zuko's arms, which were either side of her body, his hands resting on the trunk.
She turned her face to look at him, her eyes burning with hatred, just as he did the same to her. All at once both became aware that they were close, too close. Yet, for some reason, neither one wanted to break away. Katara could feel his breath on her cheek; hear his heart beat next to her own. She was painfully awake to his scent, a mix of wood-smoke and warmth and something else…something distinctly Zuko. His lips were hovering above hers, barely an inch apart. Time stopped for them, they were suspended in a moment, both unable to move.
Eventually Katara looked away, staring down at the ground. They both stood for a second catching their breath, as if they had been winded when the trance lifted. She looked up at him again.
"Well isn't this familiar? You seem to have a thing about trees, this is the second time you've pinned me against one."
She smirked inwardly with satisfaction as a faint blush spread over his cheeks. He was about to open his mouth to say something but she beat him to it.
"Fine, I'll listen," she said wearily.
He blinked. Twice. Very slowly. "You what?"
"I said I'll listen, it's not like I have any choice anyway," she added bitterly.
"And you won't, run away, or attack me again if I let you go, will you?" he asked earnestly
"No," she sighed, "no I won't escape; now get on with it before I change my mind."
"So you did it then, made her believe in it?"
"Yes, I believe so."
"Good job, Zuzu, I dismiss you for now, I will call for you when I need you next."
He managed to control the whisps of smoke forming within his clenched fists. Every day he told himself to swallow his pride, let her rule above him and order him around; if he didn't… well that wasn't even worth thinking about.
As he walked up the stairs to his chamber he reflected on his interview with the water tribe girl. It made him feel sick, how pathetic he had sounded. He entered his bedroom and slammed the door, the anger he felt at what he had done was huge. To have had to beg, plead and bargain with that peasant was more than he could bear. And then there had been that thing under the tree, what was that? He groaned and fell onto his bed.
Hmmm yea, was supposed to keep you guessing, so...yea. Please review! Reviews help me get better. The next chapter should be up sooner. Should be.
