Next chapter... Hope you like it... I have my period, and because I have my period I don't care who knows it. Yes, I have a bit of a temper and I don't feel this writing anymore today. I'm going to take a nap now! Thank you!

Iroh found the sea air on deck very refreshing, and with a cup of tea he found it even more enjoyable. It had been three days since they'd last been at land, also three days since Zuko had brought Sokka aboard. They'd set sail, continuing to follow the trail of the Avatar, though Zuko still continued to try to find out more about Aang's whereabouts and/or where he was going. But Sokka didn't speak, only the once, and it hadn't been about the monk.

Iroh shook his head, knowing his nephew was sometimes ignorant in peaceful socialization with people; but this life on the sea had put a sharp and distrustful edge on the prince. Iroh wasn't surprised when the deck's door opened forcefully by said prince, clear that Zuko was frustrated before Iroh even glanced at him.

"No luck?" Iroh asked knowingly and Zuko huffed, irritated.

"No." Zuko replied bitterly and stood beside his uncle, arms folded, fuming still. Sokka hadn't responded to his questions, and he didn't dare touch the other again, not after the violent reaction he got the first time. Though he noticed every time he entered the room the water tribe teen would be more and more jumpy, as if his condition was getting worse, it was disturbing to see. "He's not getting any better with time, he still won't talk."

"That's because he is trapped in that room with his worse memories," Iroh said wisely, tea cup to his lips, "A man could go crazy if left in his own mind." Zuko side glanced at his elder.

"You're suggesting I let him roam free?" the price asked skeptically.

"No," Iroh replied, "I'm just saying that he won't get any better dwelling over what ever happened to him." Which to Zuko, meant letting Sokka out of the room, and he wasn't about to trust Sokka to not think of a plan to get off the ship. "Also, I don't think he'll relay any information to you when he doesn't trust you." Zuko's eye brows furrowed, shocked by his uncles words.

"Trust me?" He scoffed "He's a prisoner, he doesn't have to trust me; he just needs to answer my questions."

"Why should he answer your questions?" Iroh asked, trying to get his nephew to see his reasoning, "Surrounded by enemies after a vicious attack, why should he talk to anyone?" Zuko was quiet a minute and looked out at the blue sea and clear sky; he didn't like how his uncle would word things sometimes, it made him think and drew him away from being detached from humanity, as were most of the other fire benders that were near savagery. He knew he was more honorable than most for it, but it really went against what his nation had taught him; be tough, be strong, to show no mercy.

"Trust is a powerful thing, Prince Zuko." Iroh said off handedly and that seemed to be the end of the advice, leaving Zuko to make his own decision, "Oh, and could you tell the cook to get me more tea?" Iroh asked, picking up his nearly empty tea pot. Zuko shot his elder an annoyed look and turned to go back to his quarters. Iroh just shrugged and told the nearest soldier to do the same, knowing this matter would smooth out one way or another.

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Sokka stared at the wall, lying on his front; his back was healing and the scabs itched horribly. Zuko had a healer on the ship that doubled for the engine man; he'd wrapped up his wounds and it seemed to be healing properly. He could walk again; he'd spent a good part of the day doing that, until he got tired and lay down, it seemed all he could do. They'd given him an extra shirt; it was grey and heavy on his skin, no doubt heat resistant; it was also pretty large on him, being an extra from one of the warriors.

One of Sokka's arms was across his pillow, his chin resting on it and the other arm was stretched out over the front o the bed, hanging down. He tried to focus on thoughts of Katara and Aang. He tried to think of Suki and how they'd trained together. He even tried to concentrate on what Momo and Appa would be doing now. But they were only in short bursts. His mind would haze off and he would go into trances where he actually heard Jet's malice filled words, whispered in his ear. He would be startled and look around, but no one would be there.

He pressed his face into the pillow in a half hearted attempt to suffocate himself; but he came up for air, unable to even attempt that sort of thing. Was he going insane here? What was the point of being alive if he was stuck in here, slowly losing his mind in paranoia? The only sane moments seemed to be when Zuko would question him, at least then someone would speak to him; the soldiers didn't utter a word to him when they delivered him food. Zuko hadn't tried to touch him again and that was fine with Sokka, but what would Zuko do to him after he learned where Aang and Katara were going? Would they toss him over board or kill him outright?

"You are much better when you're silent." Jet's words rang in his ear and Sokka jumped, instinctively twisting around onto his back, hand raised to defend him self. He breathed raggedly and his eyes darted around, but he found no one but himself. He relaxed into the mattress and rubbed his temples; was his brain ever going to give it a rest?

His body tensed as the door opened, Zuko had left for the night and dinner had been brought; normally he would be left alone to the dark, and the quiet, and his nightmares to plague him. He was surprised when Zuko walked back into the room, for the second time that day. The prince closed the door behind him like he always did and Sokka pulled the sheet on him around himself more; Zuko made him uncomfortable.

Zuko scowled some, not believing he was doing this; but he had to admit, it was very depressing to see the other teen curled up in bed like that. It wore on his conscious.

"Since you've been so quiet I've decided to allow you to roam the ship," Zuko said, knowing he wouldn't be greeted with words of any sort, so he'd rather say it and get it over with, "With boundaries of course, and if you cause any trouble you can be locked back in here." Sokka was stunned, reasonably so; Zuko was going to let him wander around the ship?

"Really?" Sokka asked quietly, making sure Zuko wasn't trying to pull anything over on him, it would be a horrible joke if he was.

"Yes really," Zuko said in an annoyed tone, "Just don't get any ideas about escaping." Sokka shook his head slowly; where was he going to go, he was sure they were still at sea. Zuko huffed and turned back to the door and had his hand on the handle when Sokka spoke up, thought his voice still oddly was feeble and unsure.

"Thanks." He said; voice unused for most of the time that he'd been there. Zuko's grip tightened on the handle and he pulled the door open, leaving, pretending to not hear that word. He wasn't doing the other a favor; no, it was just to get information out of the water tribe teen, really.

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