A chill swept over Katara's body, causing her to twitch under the covers. Her hand moved automatically to pull the covers over her exposed shoulder, but her eyes were already open. With the covers giving her warmth again she tried to figure out where she was. It took a few moments for her eyes to modify to the absence of light the candles once gave. Her sleepy mind needed to think back on what happened before she fell asleep.

'I was in the cell,' she first thought, but she shook her head. Something soft absorbed the stirring she made. 'Wait I didn't have a pillow though,' her blue eyes attempted to scan the dark room again, but it didn't help. She could only make out outlines of things. 'This covering is heavier than the single blanket, and the floor is so warm and comfy' she almost smiled at the thought, but she eventually realized where she was. 'I'm in Zuko's bed' she told herself as if to verify what she already figured out.

"Why?" she whispered to no one. "How?" Katara swallowed nervously. With her back turned to the bed, she was afraid to turn around. What if she saw Zuko lying next to her? She would beat him, but the real question would be, what did he do?

Katara couldn't hesitate anymore, because the more she waited the more anxious she became. Slowly, she urged herself up with her arms, not to disturb her undesired partner, but once she put pressure on her right arm. She suddenly collapsed.

Her mouth was held tight to keep in the urge to cry as she inhaled quickly. Her body trembled from the amount of pain she had experienced in that quick movement as her fingers dug into the pillow.

"What just happened" she whimpered into the pillow. "When did I injure myself?" she held up her right arm in front of her eyes, except the room being so dark she couldn't even examine it. She turned her head to the direction her body was supposed to move, until the surprise, to see if the fire bender was next to her.

'All that effort, and he's not here' she sighed. 'Why am I in this place? What did I want to block out so badly that I can't remember getting into his bed?'

In one swift move she was sitting up, the pain outcome of the activity was like an electric shock running through her nerves. 'Note to self, don't try that again' she sucked the pain up before sliding out of the once warm bed. 'I need to find a way to open the bathroom door' the contact of the cold floor hitting her feet bought a different sensation through her body.

Blindly, she maneuvered her way towards the bathroom door, being cautious not to bump into any object, by using her feet as a navigator. Feeling a little confident, and getting annoyed at how slow she was going, Katara just continued to walk straight without worry.

In the next second many things happened. Katara felt herself suddenly falling, hitting something hard, but warm, and soft at the same time. Zuko's eyes shot up when he felt his breath being knocked out of him, and Katara screamed from the pain of her arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked in a short-winded voice. Katara picked herself up, so her chest wasn't pressed against his, but still straddling his waist.

"I didn't see you!" she argued back. "Besides, why are you on the floor any ways?"" Zuko rose from lying on his back. His left arm wrapped around his stomach, bringing their clothes to brush.

"You were in my bed, so I slept on the floor" his warm breath his against her face with each word. Katara was happy it was dark, because she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"W-why didn't you just kick me out?" the first word was hard to get out. She was worried of how to word it, but the sentence flowed out of her mouth smoothly after. Now it was Zuko's turn to feel the blood rushing to his face. He didn't understand why it embarrassed him, but he didn't know how to explain it to her.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?" he questioned her. Katara had a puzzled look on her face, but it turned to anger shortly.

"What did you do?" Katara erupted. "Why was I in your bed? How did I get in there?" so many things were running in her mind. Hate, anger, and fear. She couldn't choose what emotion to feel first.

"I didn't do anything!" Zuko yelled to shut her up. "Do you really not recall what happened yesterday? Why you were crying, or me throwing two guys off the ship?" Her mouth stayed closed as she stared into his gold eyes. They were right in front of her, not blinking, trying to read her mind. Before Zuko knew it she was shifting off him, as if she just realized she was on him. "If you don't remember, it wasn't important," he finally spoke calmly. "You were just very tired and the next thing I knew you were in my bed. I was too tired to move you, so I let you stay"

"Thank you" she whispered. Her attitude seemed to have changed.

"Don't get use to it" Katara bought her throbbing arm, she had almost forgotten about, to her chest. She got up for the whole reason to use his bathroom, but with memories pouring back, she wanted to hide under a cover; to disappear. "Why did you get up anyway?" Zuko asked, reading her mind.

"Um, I was," her voice was soft. It felt like a lot of effort was put into speaking, her breath short. "I wanted to stretch my legs by walking around" she quickly changed her story.

"Then go back, before I make you take the floor" Katara nodded her head. A video of what happened yesterday kept replaying in her mind. She lifted the blankets up, and did what she wanted to do, hide under them.


Katara woke up to the room being less cold. A heat source was dancing around her exposed face, and it felt nice. Her eyes fluttered open to see shadows dancing on the ceiling with grace. It was kind of peaceful, but it didn't make the frown go away.

Her left eye caught a small orange thing move out of the corner. When shifting her orbs to the direction, she found that the candle, once causing the room to be dark, lit. 'Zuko's up' she told herself. 'Then I should get up. I can't have my guard down when he has his up' She stretched her foot out, kicking something when doing so, before stepping out of the sheets. She rolled her shoulders a few times then sat herself up, without using her right arm. She spotted something blue folded by the foot of the bed. It looked soft and warm. 'My clothes'

She leaned forward, but when extending both her arms, a gasp was forced out. She quickly pulled her right arm back. It didn't even look like her arm. It was twice the normal size, and once red around the wound, instead were beginning to pick up a yellowish color.

"If Zuko see's this than he will see my weakness" she spoke as if informing someone. Her mind quickly thought up of a plan as she jumped off his bed.


"What are you doing?" Zuko's voice rang through her ears. Katara quickly turned around once tighten the knot she made with her teeth.

"Nothing," she smiled while spinning on her heel to face him. "Just starting a new fashion" she was lying through her teeth, and with the way he was glaring at her, she could tell he wasn't buying it. His eyes looked down to her right arm that was wrapped in a blue t-shirt of his.

"With my shirt," he spoke. "It will only be famous in your eyes" For a strange reason, Katara felt like she was talking to a friend. The way he was calm with her, but it was probably just because of what happened yesterday.

"Forget the new fashion statement, why are you here?"

"Beside it being my room, giving me access without needing to ask, my uncle is pestering me to feed you"

"You make it sound like I'm an animal" Zuko shrugged his shoulders without saying anything, and that made Katara know her "friend" thought was over.

"Well at least someone is responsible" she mumbled under her breath.

"Watch it" he ordered.

"Sorry, forgot you may bite"

"Other way around" he teased, before getting serious again. "Let's go, I don't have time to waste"


No one spoke at the table. Iroh sat with his grin on his face, and his every day, but more like ten minutes, tea. Zuko stared at the wall while taking bites out of his food. Katara kept her right bandaged arm under the table while poking her food with the fork, not taking a bite once.

Iroh had heard the news of the two men jumping over board. At first, he was worried for them, but when he confronted Zuko about it, he was informed on what really happened. Though against making them swim in open water with no land close by, he didn't yell at his nephew.

"Katara," Zuko broke the silence. His tone was serious; the way he chose to use his words were like they were built of stone, strong. "I have decided since you ruined my plan, with the help of my uncle," Zuko took a quick glance over to him before bringing his attention back to the water bender. "That you are useless to me."

"Are you breaking up with me?" she sarcastically threw at him in a fake, shocked voice. "I thought what was going on between us was special? Don't you?"

"I am giving you up to Admiral Zhao" he finally threw at the once, faked, but now really shock Katara.

"You know you look smarter than you really are" she spat at him in raged. All the kidding inside was washed away with her temper rising.

Iroh watched what was going on. Zuko had spoken to him about this before, but he was hoping he wouldn't have actually gone through with it. He put his tea glass down when he saw the liquid movement start picking up.

"Katara it wasn't his choice," Iroh cut in. He didn't want another tea to be spilled over; the other one was such a waste. "He had received a letter of saying so" he stood up for his nephew.

"It specifically said to hand me over? Besides when do you listen to him, aren't you two fighting?"

"It's actually very simple," he told her, a smirk forming. "I'm not going to tell you what my plan is, but don't think I'm doing this because I'm stupid"

"It's not because you're smart" she threw in. Some of Iroh's tea spilled over onto his robe, he was lucky it had cooled down.

"I had enough of you! My decision is made" Zuko spoke like a true prince, if he was still one. Katara stood up, ready to bend the tea, but when flicking her wrist, she inflicted the pain onto her instead of her target. 'Damn I forgot!' she yelled in her mind.

It didn't stop her. She still had her left arm. She stopped the crying in her head as she was about to throw her attack again, but it was stopped. When she was trying to fight the pain, Zuko had stood up ready for defense, but with her distracted, he took the opportunity to capture both arms; not realizing about the infected one.

"You're hurting me!" Katara cried out at the pressure on her right arm.

"I'm hardly even squeezing that one since you wrapped it so much"


Back in his room, Katara paced back and forth. She was yelling at herself for waiting too long to fight back. She shouldn't have been here more than a day, not even, but now it has been two days. With one of her arms in bad shape, she was at a disadvantage, but she wasn't letting that get in her way; it was the pain. If she just ignored it, she wouldn't be in his room right now.


"I thought you wouldn't agree," Iroh spoke in an upset voice when he saw his nephew return.

"I don't remember saying that" he truthful told his uncle, refusing to look straight into his eyes.

"I thought you would have chosen right," He re-worded his sentence. With all his mistakes, this was crossing the line. He thought he knew better, especially after pushing the guys out of the ship, but he was wrong. It was like being disappointed with his own kid, it hurt the same, maybe even more.

"Zuko, I don't know what you will achieve with giving Admiral Zhao the water bender"

"It's simple," he started. "Katara has written to her friends of my plan, therefore, ruining it, also with a little help from you," he added like a kid never forgetting who rated him out. "So after you told me of my father's letter, it made me think of something, a plan," he took a quick glace from the corner of his eye to see if his uncle was still listening, he was. "I know better of Aang and her brother. Knowing they wouldn't just let her get captured and not try to save her. Katara said she has told them I took her, so they will specifically go after my ship,"

"Then why give Katara away?" Iroh butted in, still annoyed.

"She had been a pest on this ship, and with all pests, she needs to go"

"Then wouldn't the boys go after Admiral Zhao's ship?"

"Not if Katara doesn't write another letter. They will expect her to be here still, so it will give me my chance of capturing him"

"I thought I taught you better"

"This will regain my honor. Three years of searching for him, and I won't let it go to waste. I will get the avatar, and my father will accept me back"


"Prince Zuko, a letter from Admiral Zhao has just arrived" a skinny man announced out loud for no reason. He gave him the usual bow before handing over the rolled-up letter. Zuko practically tore it out of his hand, and nearly ripped it when trying to unroll it. With each word being scanned, the skinny man saw his boss temper rise. He didn't even get to blink fast enough to see Zuko burn the paper into ashes.

"Tell everyone to be prepared for his arrival," he shouted his order. "Does my uncle know about this?" he asked the nodding man.

"Yes he does, sir!" he answered, bowing then taking his leave.


Katara stood still in the middle of the room when watching the door swing open to reveal a frustrated Zuko.

"Admiral Zhao decided to come sooner than anyone expected," Zuko spoke to her.

"You mean sooner than you had expected" Katara corrected him, still angry.

"Don't be mad just because you couldn't win against me"

"It's not a fight if you take the element away," Katara chimed in. "It's basically you cheating"

"Not if I'm in command," he threw back. "Take that stupid thing off your arm" he added with aggravation when spotting the blue bundle.

"But the stupid thing is your shirt" it looked like Zuko took one huge step, because immediately he was standing right in front of her, then in front of the door. "I don't want to take it off" she spoke in a low, cold voice, trying to size him up.

"I don't recollect asking if you wanted to" he grabbed her wrapped up arm, watching the pained expression on her face, while tugging on the knot. With each pull, Katara winced. "You must be something else if this is hurting you"

"Maybe you don't know your own strength"

"Glad you see I am stronger"

"No, but dumber is correct" she spoke through clenched teeth. Her other hand tried to push the pulling one off the shirt, but his grip on the knot was strong, and the pain she was feeling, stronger. It was astonishing how pain could affect someone's strength fast, but she was witnessing it, and it wasn't good. "Stop, I want to keep it on!" she bang to throw her fist in his hand, but it just made him angrier.

"I'm not going to have people think I let you do whatever," he charged back. With a thrust, she was on the bed, lying on her back. Zuko hovered over her with his same effort to pull the shirt off. "How tight did you tie this?"

"Get off!" Katara began to kick her legs. Everything was pissing her off. Her infected arm, not being able to physical fight back, Zuko being on top of her, and the arrival of Zhao.

"Admiral Zhao's ship has just stopped beside ours," a voice called from the other side of the door. "We are letting him board now!" Zuko pushed off Katara, giving up with the shirt, as he fixed his clothes. His glare on her didn't bother Katara. She glared back. With no exchanging of words, Zuko grabbed Katara's left wrist, not wanting to deal with her screaming.


"I didn't think you would have shown, Prince Zuko" his name rolled off his tongue with fake interest. Everyone was lined up before him, Zuko and Katara in front with Iroh. Zhao walked up and down the lines like the Admiral he was. His hands cupped together behind his back, posture straight.

His eyes looked down to where Zuko stilled held Katara's left wrist, so she couldn't bend, then moved to her bulky wrapped one. His eyebrows rose in amusement, his smirk growing into a grin.

"What happened here?" he asked in a cool, collected voice, referring to the shirt on her right arm.

"It's a fashion statement," Katara stuck with the lie she told Zuko.

"I'm sure it is, and it's a catchy one too" he lied. Katara rolled her eyes. "She's is a friend of the avatar, right?" he asked, acting like he didn't know the answer already.

"Yes" Zuko gave in to his fake dumbness. Katara felt his eyes linger over her body. Her blood boiled, but when about to try to move her left wrist, she instead felt Zuko squeeze it, as if it also annoyed him.

"I am happy to see that you have agreed to hand her, over" he laughed when stopping in front of them.

"I changed my mind" Zuko turned around, his crew mates making an opening for him, but Zhao's guards stopped him.

"You got the letter from your father, so you should know what he ordered you to do" Zhao blurted out in anger and hurry, as if he wouldn't be able to speak in time.

"I know, but I was banished from my father, himself. Until I regain my honor, I'm not considered anything to him, and so I don't have to listen to him" Zuko wasn't able to see the sizzling anger Zhao was feeling, but he did feel the heat coming from his body. He handed his uncle Katara's left wrist, which he took with a smile. In time, Zuko felt the fire ball pass his shoulder.

"You think you can walk away from me like that?"

"I want you off my ship, before this gets worse than it already is" Zuko didn't raise his voice, he didn't turn around to counter attack, he just kept his back turned to Zhao. He was silently counting in his head, waiting.

When he hit six he heard the air being punched, and quickly ducked in one smooth move. Standing back up he turned to show his face to Zhao. Neither fire bender had a pleased look, both ready to fight. Zhao, being impatient and full of hate, threw the attack again. Another ball went towards Zuko, but when Zhao did that Zuko kicked his right leg, sending an attack to him. They were both easily avoided by one another, but some of the crew members had to quickly move away.

"Admiral Zhao," Iroh rose his voice to overpower everyone. "I am glad you got to visit, but I want you off this ship" the guards of Zuko took Iroh's nod as an order, and started to escort a steaming Zhao. Katara was handed off to Zuko so Iroh could have a word with the Admiral.


"Thank you" Katara finally spoke when they got into his room.

"I only did it, because I realized that with you here, it would be easier for me to catch the avatar" Katara nodded her head in agreement, happy he changed his mind, and pleased, she would stay a prisoner on Zuko's ship and not Zhao's. "You haven't really eaten in two days," he continued, ignoring the breakfast she had yesterday. "You need food in you, so you can eat with me and my uncle tonight. I can keep an eye on you as well" she didn't get to protest, because he walked away, locking her in. An exhausted sigh escaped his lips, while Zuko leaned against the door. 'I don't know why Zhao's stares made me change my mind. Katara was going to be his prisoner, not my problem anymore, so I shouldn't have interfered' he pushed himself away from the door, going out to the deck to see if Zhao was defiantly gone.


This is chapter 7 & 8 combined. I know all the numbers from what fanfiction his saying will confuse you, but I will let you know which chapters are bonded together.

I really liked this one. It was funny. You need some laughs right? Avatar does have funny times in it.

Please re-review and review

Been revised- 11/23/11