A/N: A little Trivia. Tenu's name was taken from Iroh's son Lu Ten. I just changed the letters around and dropped the L. =P
"Rina tell me again. What do you remember seeing that night? Tell me everything, don't leave anything out." Katara sat in front of her daughter who was nervous and frightened by her mother's interrogations.
"I told you Mama, I saw a dark shadow. I thought it was you but they grabbed me. I heard Maya screaming. I tried to waterbend out but I missed. Then they were gone. I didn't know what to do mommy! I tried!" The little girl broke down in tears and her mother's face relaxed. She hugged her daughter closer to her.
"No sweetheart, you did everything you could do. It's my fault I should have trained you more." She let go of her daughter and then the little girl ran off to her studies with three guards trailing after her. Her three children would study in the same room together with their prospective teachers and fifteen guards. She wasn't taking any chances. Five guards trailed behind her as she carried her child with her to visit Iroh. All of the Fire Nation soldiers were working double shifts, everyone was on high alert.
She walked into the war room where Iroh was dictating actions.
"Uncle Iroh, please tell me they have discovered something?" Iroh's eyes narrowed and he shook his head.
"If there were any news you would have been first to know. I am worried though. We have heard nothing from Zuko. Likely he was led into a trap to keep him away from home." Katara sat down contemplating the news.
"But why Maya? Why would they take my little girl? They didn't even try to get Rina or Lee or even Tenu. I just don't understand."
"No I believe they were specific. The fact that they made sure Zuko was away first is proof. They are afraid of him. Lee would have been the obvious choice but he is older and he is smarter, his bending is also greater. They may have not wanted to deal with such a hassle and wanted something quick and simple. The girls are the obvious choice. They are young and untrained. They are separated from you, Zuko and Lee. Maya is the youngest and she is a firebender. She would be the easiest to take care of. They didn't want a baby like Tenu because he is too young and they wouldn't have the means to take care of him. Rina and Maya are optional but maybe they feel the people would be more threatened if the firbending child were missing instead of the waterbending. It is hard to say. But it is someone who knows the Fire Nation and knows about your family and someone who holds a grudge."
"Well that only leaves the whole world." She was tired and worried. Her arms felt heavy and she wanted to sleep but she was so worried she would never be able to sleep. Iroh watched her concerned.
"You cannot stay awake. Did you not get any sleep last night?" Katara shook her head and her baby began to squabble.
"My little girl is missing, how can a mother sleep? It's almost sunset. We should prepare ourselves again. The children will sleep…" She got cut off by a soldier running in to the room out of breath. He stumbled up to Katara and Iroh.
"My Lord, my Lady, the Fire Lord has returned…badly injured." She handed her baby off to Iroh without a second thought and followed after the guard. They turned over to the main entrance and she saw her husband behind held up by another soldier. Both were badly injured but Zuko was more so. He practically collapsed into Zuko's arms.
"Get me some soldiers he needs to be taken to his room! I want hot water, fresh towels and some tea when I get there!"
"Katara?" He croaked out.
"Hush Zuko, don't talk you'll make it worse." He shook his head, the blood drifting down.
"Ambush….trap…my men…help them first. There are…others." She hushed him some more and dispatched another guard to check on his men and take care of them. Two soldiers arrived then with a stretcher and delicately set him on it. She followed right behind him and they placed him in the bed. The things she ordered were waiting for her already. Just then Iroh came in.
"How is he, Katara?" She looked over his body. He had some stab wounds along his chest and arms and even an arrowhead had pierced his thigh. His cheek swelled and so did the top of his head which bled. All along his body were bruises and tired muscles. She didn't have the heart to keep looking at it, but she felt obligated to help him.
She took the water and took it to his head. He had already blacked out from the movement and she prayed to the spirits he hadn't gotten a concussion. She sat and healed him for hours trying to make him gain consciousness. His breath hallowed and his pulse became slower. She had begun to think the worse when his breathing seemed to stop altogether.
"No! Zuko, come on stay with me!" She whispered quickly. Her fear and frustration gathered within her and taking some water she slapped it against his chest. His body convulsed and his chest heaved. His breathing returned and she pressed her head against his chest.
She took a deep breath and continued healing him for the rest of the night.
His eyes fluttered open weakly. He tried to move his arms or legs and found them stiff and unresponsive. His fingers moved slightly and he gripped on to something soft and silky.
"Zuko?" He turned his head and saw a pair of blue eyes watching him. Her brown hair curled around her face and she smiled at him. She bent down and kissed him lovingly. He forced his body to move and tried to sit up. Shots of pain went through his entire body and he could hardly even feel his legs, they were numb.
A hand gently rested on his bare chest and pushed him back down. He tried to counter and she hushed him.
"You're still weak, don't try to move." She got some water and lifted it to his lips. He drank thirstily.
"How long…" He asked weakly.
"You've been out for a whole day. I thought I had lost you, when you stopped breathing. We can only thank the spirits you are alright." She bit her lip as her eyes warmed with tears. He lifted his hand and traced a finger along her face.
There was a knock on the door and Katara looked up. A small head looked around the door slowly and then his face brightened and he ran to the bed. Katara was quick and with a whip of her hands she through water at his feet and froze the small boy in place. Rina looked around the door and regarded her brother coolly and slowly walked up to him.
"Don't go jumping on your father, he is still weak. Now be careful." The small girl bended the water next to her brother and he fell to the floor getting soaked in the process.
"Aw Mom." He stood up and his mother swiftly pulled the water out of his clothes and hair drying him instantly. The boy watched his mother wearily and tiptoed over to his father side. With a hand from Katara he sat up squinting in the process. His son slowly climbed into the spot beside his father and Rina followed.
"Daddy, are you going to go after whoever took Maya." Zuko's head turned to Katara and he saw the truth in her eyes.
"Someone took Maya two nights ago. We don't know who. But it must have been a sword master, because everything was shredded." She looked at him the worry obvious in her voice as it shook lightly. The dark shades under her eyes suggested she had barely slept in days.
"I think…I know…" He gasped out still in pain. He struggled to speak and shifted his weight to better sit up and even tried to motion to stand. She put a hand on his chest and pushed him down fiercely.
"You can't do anything, not in your condition. I almost lost you once, I won't let it happen again." He laid back down feeling helpless.
"It was all a set up, a trap. I was so stupid." Katara shooed their children out and they walked away unwillingly, their heads looking back in anticipation. When the door finally shut behind them Katara turned to her husband.
"We can't go running off to them again. We need a plan. I want my daughter back!"
"Oh Katara, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I could have done something, anything. How fast can you heal me?"
"No, I will go after Maya. I'm tired of waiting in the dark for something to happen. You need your rest more than anything." The lights in the room grew brighter.
"No, Katara. Whoever this is, I have a feeling this is more personal than it may seem. You can't do it alone."
"Neither can you, I won't let you."
"Well if you heal me fast enough then I won't have to do this alone." He smiled at her and she felt like hugging him. Then her mind focused. She was frightened.
"What about the children? We can't leave them here by themselves, someone may try to take them." Zuko leaned back against his pillow and sighed.
"They are not safe here. We need to send them away. Perhaps Aang wouldn't mind taking them? Or Sokka or even Toph." He groaned inwardly.
"Zuko, if it means our children are safe then we must send them away."
"I just can't believe I was not there to protect you. All of you. I failed."
"Don't talk like that. We can do this. Separated we are weak, but together we are strong. They will regret the day they were born." She said fiercely.