Okay, you wanted a part two... you got it! PS... listen to Never Gonna Be Alone by Nickelback and Desprate by David Archuleta... its like they read my mind! PLEASE NOTE!!! Part three is just like a really suckish retelling of the finale, changed just slightly to fit the story. You don't have to read it.

When I am Hurt

(Part II and III)

"Is there anything else I could do for you? I mean- is there any other way I can help you?" Zuko asked, his hands carefully on her shoulders. He felt her body tense, then relax, almost as if she was trying to clear her mind.

After a moment, she spoke up quietly. "Stay with me. I just want you to be with me right now." A chill set in around them, clinging to their clothes. Katara allowed herself to fall back into his arms, welcoming his warmth. "thank you..." she whispered, her eyes closing. Zuko tightened his arms around her, realizing that she had waited so long to tell anybody how those people had hurt her. If he had known, he would have ran faster and fought harder to find her. It had taken a full week for him to locate the ban of marauders that had kidnapped her during the new moon. That was a full week that they had disrespected her, that they forced her to do things that she didn't want. The moment he had found her, he should have known something was wrong. There had been scratches on her face and arms, bruises on her neck that she had tried desprately to cover. But the strangest thing she did when he found her, was she gasped. She didn't say a word or even look disappointed that it was him and not Aang there to save her. Her eyes had filled with hope for a split second, shimmering lightly, but then they lost it. They lost the emotion that defined Katara. That was what should have worried him. "I just feel so cold and alone and like nobody could ever understand..." She picked her head up from his shoulder, but was unable to look into his eyes again.

Before he could stop himself, Zuko bowed his head to her ear. "You will never be alone," he whispered. Katara jumped as he spoke to her, not expecting his breath on her ear. As he came away, his lips brushed over her cheek innocently. But as innocent as it was, it sent electricity through both of them. Zuko only looked at her, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. That worry was soon forgotten as he leaned toward her. Katara mumbled something, her eyelids feeling heavy. "What?" the fire prince asked, freezing.

Katara's eyes flickered up to his, and after a while of silence, she said again, louder; "I wish it would have been you." Then she finished what Zuko started, kissing his lips decidedly. His hands moved to her face, and hers grasped his shirt, curling tightly around the cloth. "I wanted it to be you. Always, no matter how much I told myself I hated you... no matter how much I wanted to love Aang. I've always wanted it to be you. But some pirate took that away. And his face will never leave me. What he did, I'll haunt me until the day I die." Katara sank to her knees, feeling defeted. Her mind went blank, and she cried. There was nothing anymore. The nights that she laid awake in her dark cell were over, but what happened there would stay forever. She knew she would never be able to go into a relationship pure. "The one thing I ever wanted for myself!"

Zuko came to his knees beside her, pulling her to him and letting her cry on his shoulder. why couldn't he speak? He had opened his mouth too console her several times, only to close it again. "I'm here." he finally muttered into her hair. And he kept saying it over and over, running a hand up and down her back. "I'll be here until you don't hurt anymore."

"You're the only one that could stop the hurt." The girl raised her head, trying to address him. Without words, he kissed her again. A spark shot through them suddenly- a burst of white hot energy, burning both of them worse than any flame could. They pulled closer to each other, both out of breath yet still wanting more. "No," Katara mumbled, pulling away from him. She moved away from him in the grass, just enough to keep him from kissing her again. "I- I can't do that to you." Then added quietly, "You deserve better."

"It was rape, Katara. You didn't have a choice. You have to know this wasn't your fault... Katara, you do know it wasn't your fault, don't you?" Zuko's face slackened. As he reached out to touch her, she recoiled into a ball.

"I hate that I'm saying this... I hate that I felt it or thought it or... I hate myself! After the first couple times- it didn't hurt as much... oh god! I- I am so ashamed of myself! I don't deserve you, I don't deserve your love or your hate. I'm just a piece of dross!"

"You are not garbage! You didn't have a choice. You could have screamed and yelled and they wouldn't have stopped... Katara. You don't think you're-"

"No! I know for a fact that I'm not pregnant." She saw him nod from the corner of her eye. "Thats another thing. I don't want to take that chance until this war is over. Until after the comet comes. It wouldn't be fair."

"What if one of us doesn't come back?"

Katara looked away from him painfully, biting her lip as she squinted her eyes closed. "That won't happen." She heard herself say the words, but she knew it wasn't true. The battlefeild saw no difference between a man and a woman, a life lost was a life lost. Especially in these times. She thought of how many children had died of starvation or disease and shivered. Along their journey that had seen many sad things- but the one that had hit Katara the hardest was the river village that had been waiting for the Painted Lady. She remembered going against everyone of her brother's rules, just trying to help out these strangers. And for what? They had gotten angry at her for pretending to be their hero. Hesitantly, Katara turned her head to him. "Its a difficult decision. I know what its like to lose your purity to someone you don't love. And I can't do that to you."

"I love you, I've loved you all along. I was just too stupid to say anything. I was afraid to lose you even when I knew you weren't mine. And having said that, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to. I will never force anyt-" the last word was muffled by Katara's lips. His eyes closed as he spread his hands over her back. He felt the belt around his waste loosen and two cool hands over his stomach. He fumbled with her sash, untying it easily. Her robe fell open, just barely covering her chest. It frightened her how gentle he was; the tips of his fingers lightly tracing over her skin. She had never been treated kindly while being with a man. But Zuko respected her completely, which was shocking in itself. But that he was just as timid and afraid as she was, rather than being forceful and hurting her brought tears of joy to her eyes. "Are you alright?" Zuko asked, wiping away her tears.

"I'm okay," Katara whispered, kissing his lips slowly. "But, can you promise me one thing? What you said before, about one of us not coming back, swear to me that you'll come back."

"I'm not the only one in danger. You have to come away too."

"You know I will."

"Any regrets?" Zuko asked, moving off of her and laying down on the grass.

"None. You?" Katara rested her head on his shoulder, her breath traveling over his skin.

"Never."

---Part III---

It was a sterling suprise to Katara when Zuko asked her to accompany him to defete Azula. They hadn't spoken much since finding her mother's killer. Now, they were alone on Appa's back and had a few moments to speak with each other before arriving at the palace. "What we talked about that night," Katara started shakily, her hands grasping Appa's fur tightly. "You have to be careful. Now that I... know you, I can't lose you. We have to stick together--" Breaking off suddenly, she put a hand over her stomach and cringed.

"You haven't been feeling well lately, have you?" Zuko asked, reaching out to her.

Exhaling carefully, Katara assured him that she was fine. "It happens sometimes," she confided. "Listen, before we do this... kiss me." Zuko brushed her hair away from her face, his hands brushing over her face. Still very unsure of what to do, Katara tilted her head toward him. She felt his lips pressing on her own. The kiss lingered a little longer than what either of them had expected. The girl pulled away smoothly, then jerked back in pain.

"You're not well." Zuko said firmly, trying to get Katara to lay back. "You shouldn't fight. Not like this. I won't let you."

"I have to Zuko! I- ow!"

"Katara, I won't let you get hurt!"

"I'm fine, I just pulled a muscle or something. Its no big deal." She touched his arm reassuringly.

Appa landed loudly, drawing Azula's attention upward. Katara and Zuko jumped down from Appa's back, and stood infront of the almost-Firelord (Lady? Idk, that always did confuse me.). "Sorry, but you're not gonna become firelord today... I am." Zuko said defiantly.

"Oh, Zuzu!" Azula laughed. "I see you've brought your girlfriend with you." Katara could feel Azula's eyes scan over her quickly. Then a smirk played on the girl's lips as she continued; "Wow. I didn't think you had it in you. Well, now its in her, so it hardly matters. Its rather sad though. I mean, for the poor child to die before its even born..."

Katara saw Zuko's eyes widen, she was sure, the same way her own did. "You don't know what you're talking about, Azula."

Again, the evil girl laughed. "Don't I? Its an easy thing to tell. Her hands are swollen, but just barely; her eyes look tired, but still have that funny little twinkle in them; but most of all... her skin is so... pink. Tell me, did you eat Harisao berries after sleeping with my brother? If not I can almost promise you that you're with child." Katara placed both hands over her abdomen. Her eyes met Zuko's for just a second, screaming to him to make her stop.

"Leave her alone!" Zuko screamed, bending fire angrily at his sister. "Katara," he directed her, "Get back!"

Bending water from her water skin, Katara did the opposite and stepped beside him. "No."

"Do it!"

"Why?"

"You have to be safe. For... for our baby." at his words, Katara started to cry. It was real. This was real. She had slept with this man and now she was pregnant with his child and all of their lives were in danger. "Get. Back."

After that, everything happened so fast. There was fire and heat. Then the unthinkable happened. Azula's evil eyes narrowed on Katara, another one of her smirks pulled at her face. Just as the blue lightning left her fingers, Zuko jumped between the attacker and the target, a single word escaping from his lips. Katara watched in horror as he fell to the ground, his body twitching. "ZUKO!"

It was like a game of cat and mouse, Katara decided. Which was which, she couldn't tell. The water she bent at Azula was instantly vaporized by her blue fire. "Ooh!" Azula squeaked once. "Steambabies!"

"Stop!" Katara hissed, her face covered with tears. "Stop it!" Their elements clashed violently. Katara fought blindly, just trying to stop Azula. She didn't notice when a giant shard of ice peirced throught Azula's chest; all she knew was that the fire had stopped, and she had to help Zuko. Her hands shook as she turned him over onto his back; and even more violently when she laid them on his stomach, trying to heal the damage Azula had done. Her heart stopped as his restarted.

"Thank you..." he whispered painfully.

"If you ever do anything that stupid again, I'll save you so that I can kill you myself. You know that right?"

"Azula?" Zuko asked, trying to sit up. Katara hooked her arm through his to help him up. "She's dead." Katara replied gravely.

"Do you think what she said was true, about you being...?"

"It makes sence. I was late and, being young I thought it was normal. But, now that she said that, it makes a lot more sence. I'm sorry. I really am."

"Why? For giving me a family?"

"No, because my brother, Aang, and my dad will have to form a line to kill you."

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Hm? Hm? Everything you hoped and dreamed? Not so much? Start typing my other ones? LeMmE kNoW! pLeAsE!