No one found the reference I was talking about. It was the 'gleam of triumph' in her eyes. But strangely there was another Harry Potter reference in that chapter I hadn't realized I used. Kudo's to those of you who pointed that out. Kinda freaky that I quote HP subconsciously.

So NullChronicler, a post-war Taang fic it is.

What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. - Helen Keller

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Chapter 4 - Accusation

After he realized she had not followed him into the trees, Jet turned back. He reentered the clearing to see Kaiya being restrained by one man as another, larger and more muscular, reared back and punched Kaiya in the face. Jet seethed with anger as he launched himself at her assailant.

"Leave her alone!" he commanded, his face twisted in fury, eyebrows arching violently.

The shadows that obscured Kaiya's vision dissipated as she lifted her head. Before her, Jet, with hook swords drawn, charged the man who had struck her. Using the momentary diversion to her advantage, she pushed hard off the ground and threw her head back to collide with her captor's nose. His arms slackened and she pulled away, falling a few feet in front of him for she was still a bit dazed from the blow. Her hand immediately went to her face, which throbbed painfully.

She scrambled to her feet as the second man recovered. He was younger than the first with strange red markings around his eyes and a longbow strapped to his back. The archer approached her menacingly with one hand clutched over his nose to stem the flow of blood. Knowing that she was at a disadvantage with out her weapons, she backed away.

Jet saw her dilemma and tossed her one of his hook swords while keeping the other in perpetual motion to prevent being disarmed by the chain that lashed at him. Jet ducked as it moved in a large arc, narrowly missing his head. The man adjusted his aim and the ball returned on a path to collide with Jet's legs. Seizing this opportunity, Jet jammed the hilt of his sword into the ground causing the chain to wrap the handle. Jet grabbed the chain and lobbed the ball back at the man, who ducked it easily but the distraction gave Jet the opening he needed to close the distance between them to where he could fight most effectively.

Kaiya stood facing the archer, holding the hook sword with both hands, its weight and size unfamiliar. The young man pulled a dagger from behind his back, but instead of aiming for Kaiya, he turned and hurled the weapon at Jet.

"Jet, no!" she screamed.

The knife spun in the air with incredible speed and accuracy. She watched, as if in slow motion, the hilt of the knife made contact with Jet's temple. His head was knocked to the side with the force of the blow and he slumped to a heap in the dirt. Her skin seared with a flush of rage and she realized she was screaming. She sliced at the archer while burning tears distorted the image of the two men.

It only took them a few moments to disarm the distraught girl. The archer held her tightly with one arm around her waist; the other hand grabbed a fistful of her long hair to keep her from escaping like before.

The older man secured Jet's hands behind his back and gripping his arm, pulled him to his knees. Jet's head lolled to the side, a groan escaping his lips. The man backhanded him across the face and his eyes blinked open. For a few seconds Jet's expression was blank but quickly turned defiant as he took in the scene around him.

Kaiya thrashed, pulling at the arm that pressed her against the archer's chest who responded by jerking her hair back so roughly that her gaze was forced to the sky. Her breath escaped in heated bursts as she bit back a scream.

"Let her go! She's not worth anything to you."

"And you think you are?" said the man who sneered at Jet before kicking him in the ribs.

"Yes." Jet groaned as he rolled to his side.

"No, don't!" she cried, realizing what he was about to do.

"My name is Jet and I'm wanted by the Fire Nation. Let her go and I'll come without a fight."

"I've heard of you," the archer spoke up. "I saw his poster in town, Kachi. I believe it said he was wanted dead or alive."

The older man laughed derisively as he picked up the archer's dagger that still lay on the ground.

They're going to kill him.

With that realization, a silent war raged within Kaiya. She might be able to save him, but the shame of her past held her paralyzed. She didn't feel brave in the face of this danger; she felt weak and afraid. She was transported back to the distressed twelve-year-old who was terrified of her own hands.

"Leave me alone, Kido," she said, turning away from the boy who antagonized her.

"Why? You know it's true. It's probably why you were abandoned."

Her little fists shook with fury as the boy moved to block her path.

"My mother's told me stories about them; monsters that come to steal our benders, that destroy everything they touch, whose hearts burn with hate, Fire Nation monsters with eyes like flames."

"NO!" she screamed and moved to push him away, but her hands never made contact.

As she thrust her arms forward, she felt the heat of her anger surge into a swirling mass within her chest then shoot forward through her veins and muscles exploding out of her palms. As the force of the blast threw Kido backward, Kaiya's eyes widened in shock. Her breath hitched in her chest as she stared at her still smoking hands.

"No."

"NO!" she screamed, calling forth the fire that she had long forced dormant. An animalistic yell of rage erupted from her mouth as she bent flames around her, forcing the hands that bound her to release their hold.

It was clumsy, the fire that came. Using awkward punches and swings, she released the fire that coursed through her body. She advanced, her passion blazing a molten trail of blinding streaks through the air. Each burst stole her breath and when the men retreated, she fell to her knees, gasping for the oxygen she needed to replenish her aching muscles.

Jet watched all of this. His eyes that had widened in shock now narrowed as he scowled at the girl before him.

Firebender.

Familiar hate flooded his senses and mingled with the overwhelming sting of betrayal.

Kaiya, still winded from her exertion, stumbled over to Jet. She reached down and seared the knot that bound his hands.

He rubbed his wrists as she moved to stand before him, her hand outstretched to help him up though she kept her eyes averted.

"Come on," she said shakily. "We have to get out of here before they come back."

When he didn't take her hand, she forced herself to look at him, afraid of what she would see. He ignored her pleading gaze and gingerly pushed himself to stand before turning his back on her.

She reached out and grasped his arm. "Jet..."

He jerked his arm away and spun to face her. She stumbled back a step, surprised by hate and loathing in his eyes. His glare penetrated her every defense and tore open wounds long forgotten.

"Get away from me, firebender," he spat, his voice low and dangerous.

"Jet, no—I'm not—don't," she began and took a step forward, her hand trembling as she reached out to him before he pushed it away.

"If I ever see you again, I will kill you."

His threat hung in the air, thick as the smoke from the battle as she watched him pick up his hook swords and walk away. She stood there for a few seconds before she collapsed to the ground, utterly defeated. Through tear-streaked eyes, she stared at her hands; the hands that cast flames, the hands that stole from her all she ever cared about. She clenched her fists so tight that her nails dug into her palms. As she beat upon the ground in her torment, wisps of smoke trailed from her fists but she refused to release the inferno that was building within her. She rocked back and forth completely consumed with the grief of another life destroyed, another home lost.

So caught up was she in her self-hatred that she did not at first hear the men return.

She remained still and as they closed in around her, she waited for the first strike. She lifted her eyes to look into the cold metal face of an armored soldier, but refused to raise a hand in her own defense. The moment her eyes made contact, a searing pain erupted across her shoulder. The blast of fire knocked her to her side and the smell of burning cloth and flesh filled her nose. She screamed in pain, writhing upon the ground. She could hear the men arguing as her vision darkened and she succumbed to the comforting silence of unconsciousness.

Author's Notes

Don't you just love a good cliffie? No? Oh, sorry about that then. I thought it might be fun to let you wonder for a while whether she survives.

You know what else is fun? Acting out these scenes so that I can be sure I describe them accurately. You should see the looks I get when a member of my family walks in on me. That last scene with Jet and Kaiya I acted out several times...

...from both perspectives.

I liked being Jet more.

Please review. I worked really hard on this chapter. (I think I've mentioned before how much I hate writing fight scenes.) Let me know if it was worth it.