Regretful Choices

Katara was so preoccupied that she didn't see it coming until it was too late. She was busy focusing on how they were going to deal with one more mouth to feed. It didn't help that while Aang and Zuko where playing with the dragons they didn't bother to pick up any supplies, and no one was willing to go into the village nearby to get some. It seemed like nothing was going right for Katara ever since the jerk bender, as Sokka accurately nick named him, showed up. And today was no exception.

"Katara, LOOK OUT!" She turned in the direction of Aang's scream and saw the ball of fire heading straight for her. Everything then happened in slow motion. She cursed herself for not having her water skin, and for not being fast enough to collect the water from the air. At first when the sphere made contact with her leg she couldn't feel it. She saw her clothes burning around the area, the skin turning an ungodly shade of red as it burned, and even Aang and Zuko running to her out of the corner of her eye.

She saw all of this happen before she even felt it, but then she could. There are no words to describe the noise that ripped from her throat when she felt it. She fell to the ground clutching her leg and let another scream ring out. She remembered the first time she was burned when she got to close to the fire when she was little. She remembered the first time Aang burned her when he started to learn how to firebend. She can remember every burn that ever happened to her, but none compare to this one.

She moves her hands away from her leg to get a good look at it. Katara has never been a squeamish person, but she almost vomits at the sight of her own leg.

"Katara are you ok. Oh my spirits I'm so sorry!" Aang says as he comes to kneel beside her. He leans in to hug her causing her to move her leg ever so slightly, but it's enough to make her cry out again. As calmly as she can, she pushes him away and looks up at him. She wants to be mad, she has every right to, but she knows it was an accident. However she finds it quite hard to keep her voice in check as she speaks to him.

"I'll be fine Aang. I just need to get to the fountain and heal it." She takes a few deep breaths before trying to stand only to fall right back down.

"Here let me help you." Aang offers but when he leans over he accidentally hits Katara's leg. She gasps out in pain before she quickly pushes him away, and ignores the look of guilt and regret on his face.

"Don't touch me please." She says through gritted teeth. She tries to stand again, and starts to fall back down when a pair of warm hands catch her under her arms.

"Here let me-"

"No! Just put me down and don't touch me. Let me just rest here for a bit and then I'll go heal it." She interjects. Zuko gently lowers her to the ground before he starts to speak.

"The longer you wait the harder it will be to heal."

"I know that!" She snaps, "I just… I." She can feel the onset of tears build up behind her eyes. She is in so much pain and yet she refuses to let anyone help her. She's refuses to let anyone, especially Zuko, think of her as weak. But as she thinks that she will crumble at any moment, she hears the only voice she cares about at that moment.

"Katara!" She hears the worried voice of her brother as he kneels down and grabs her hand.

"What in the Spirit Realm happened Jerkbender!" He shouts while pointing an accusing finger and Zuko.

"Me! Why do you-"

"It wasn't Zuko it was me." Aang admits with his head downcast. "I was showing off and Zuko tried to get me to stop but I didn't listen Katara I'm so-" He was cut off with a raise of Sokka's hand

"Come on let's get you fixed up." Sokka stared to scoop her up when Katara tried to protest.

"No I can walk really I-"

"Fine," placing her on the ground "be my guest." Katara only made it three steps before her legs gave out and she fell to the ground. Sokka quickly picked her back up and took her the fountain with no protest from Katara this time.

~oOo~

Even with her water bending healing Zuko knew Katara would need more to fully heal her burn. Once Sokka put Katara in her room, after she healed herself the best she could, he gathered the rest of the gaang to discuss what all would be needed for the burn salve.

"Aang and Toph, you two need go into the village to get these herbs, bandages, and any other supplies we need." He said while handing Aang a list.

"Teo, Haru, and Duke-"

"THE Duke!" Zuko just rolled his eyes and continued, ignoring the child's interruption.

"You three go to the library and look up these plants in the scrolls." Handing Teo another list. "Once you have the scroll go to the forest and collect the plants."

"Uh, question?" Aang said while raising his hand in the air like they were in a school. "I kinda wanted to stay here with Katara. Why can't someone else go?

"No one else has a fire nation disguise." Sokka supplied.

"You and Zuko have Fire Nation outfits."

"Even with our Fire Nation outfits we could run the chance of getting caught."

"How?" Zuko groaned inwardly. He was getting annoyed with the Avatar's childish attitude.

"Because, we are still very close to the fire nation. Sokka is very obviously water tribe. No offence." Shooting Sokka a quick glance.

"None taken." He said with a wave of his hand. Zuko nodded his head in acknowledgement before continuing.

"And I am, rather recognizable." His and twitched at his side fighting the urge to touch his scar.

"Any more questions?" He asked with a slightly annoyed tone in his voice. The group gave a collective shake of their heads and headed off to do their assigned tasks. Sigh Zuko went and sat down by the fountain and ran a hand though his shaggy hair. He looked up as Sokka approached him.

"Hey can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." shrugging his shoulders he stood. "What about?"

"How much do you know about the Fire Nation prisons."

"A little bit. Why?" he questioned his question with a raised eyebrow.

"Where would they keep war criminals?

"Depends on the criminal. Why?" he asked again.

"I was just wondering where they might be keeping my dad or my girlfriend. She was the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. And he helped to plan the invasion on the Day of Black Sun."

"Well they would probably be held at the top security prison. The Boiling Rock. Again, why?"

"Oh no reason. Ok well thanks Zuko for telling me. I feel better just knowing. I'm gonna go check on Katara." As Sokka walked off in the direction of Katara's room, Zuko couldn't help but feel like he was going to regret tell Sokka that.

~oOo~

He was cold. Not as cold as he was at the Northern Watertribe, but cold never the less. Zuko defiantly regretted telling Sokka about Boiling Rock. He focused on his breathing and used his inner fire to keep him warm. He managed to unscrew all the bolts faster than they thought it would take, and now he just hoping Sokka would come to let him out soon. As the door to the cooler open Zuko starts to suspect that the water tribe siblings are mind readers.

"If you think you have learned your lesson I will take you back to your cell." Sokka said in his deep guard voice.

"Yes I have." Zuko replied while holding out his shirt to show that all the screws were undone. Once they were almost to Zuko's cell the stopped at an empty cell to dispose of the bolts and discuss that plan.

"So, small change in the plan." Sokka said with a sheepish voice.

"What is it." Zuko groaned.

"Well. While you were in lock up another shipment of prisoners came in."

"And?"

"My dad was with them." Sokka said half-heartedly.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah it is, but your-sister-brought-them-in." He said rather quickly.

"WHAT! Why is she here?" He half shouted.

"Why do you think. She's here for YOU."

Sighing Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose before asking the obvious question. "What's the plan now?"

"Yeah about that."

AN:

So please tell me what you think.

Edited on 6/3/2014