Author's Notes: Hi guys! Well, it's Friday! Err…technically it's now Saturday my time. It's been a long week. Our boat was close to sinking at work this week, so be glad I'm here to give you an update ;) I needed a girls' night tonight, so sorry for the slight lateness!

Once again, thanks and adoration goes out to my reviewers: hg-always, avatarthelastairbenderfreak, Tigerlilysmile, Turion, AnnaAza, Katey123, ArrayePL, Sumhope, Animus of Masada, InItToWinIT, and empirical Dharma. You guys are super-awesome! Thanks to all who added me to their alerts and favorites as well!

Okay, here it is! Hope you enjoy!

Just because I'm losing
Doesn't mean I'm lost
Doesn't mean I'll stop
Doesn't mean I'm across

Just because I'm hurting
Doesn't mean I'm hurt
Doesn't mean I didn't get what I deserved
No better and no worse

I just got lost!
Every river that I tried to cross
Every door I ever tried was locked
Oh and I'm just waiting til the shine wears off

-Lost!, Coldplay

Zuko stood quietly, his back resting against the rough bark of the tree. He still wasn't quite sure why he was here in the middle of the night, and with the waterbender no less. He inwardly rolled his eyes at the rumors that would start. It was probably circulating the palace even now.

He had always loved the solitude of this place. When he grew weary of the daily trials of running a country and a war, he found himself out here next to the pond. He would never admit it to anyone, but he enjoyed watching the turtleducks swimming on the surface of the water, small ripples trailing in their wake.

So tonight, when he had seen the longing look in the waterbender's eyes, when he could almost feel her fervent wish to be reunited with her element, he had decided to bring her here. Certainly there was a risk of the girl trying to escape, but her wrists and ankles were shackled. She was still weak and hungry; he was healthy and well-toned.

She would not escape.

He stopped himself as his lips nearly cracked into a smile when the woman ran headlong into the pond, letting out an excited shriek as she did so.

Are all waterbenders this crazy?

He watched as she completely submerged herself in the water. She disappeared for a moment, then resurfaced. Her dark brown tresses lay plastered against her body; rivulets of water trickled down her arms, reflecting the dim starlight. Her hair was not the only thing that was plastered against her body. Zuko's cheeks flamed as he realized he was now able to see every detail of her body.

He hated to admit it, but the girl was beautiful in an exotic sense. She was so different from the women of his own nation. Instead of alabaster skin, hers was the same dark color as the tea she served. Her hair was dark, but not the ebony black of his own people – no, it was the rich color of mahogany wood. And her eyes, they were blue as the sky. Not the golden amber or warm browns he was used to.

He was alarmed to see how her bones stuck out of her skin. Her hips jutted out sharply. Where she should have had the gentle curves of a woman, she was all sharp angles. The bones of her spine were visible through her wet shirt. He could count her ribs.

You did this to her.

He sat up, becoming more alert as the girl finished scrubbing her hair and skin. She had just entered a waterbending stance. His senses were on edge, ready to fight her if she tried anything. He watched and waited, and was relieved to see her move through what were obviously practice forms.

To his surprise, he found he enjoyed watching her. Waterbending moves were so fluid and smooth. Even with the chains restricting her movements, she handled her element expertly. A long trail of water obeyed her motions. Her cerulean eyes seemed to travel to another time, another place. She looked happy. She formed the line of water into a glimmering orb and held it between her hands. The orb turned from liquid water to solid ice and back to water again. He nearly smiled again when he saw that she was playing. The girl had a contented smile on her face as she idly manipulated the cool water.

Finally she let the orb fall back into the pond. Zuko was almost disappointed when the water lost its form and joined the rest of the water once more. Katara stepped out of the pond, looking for all the world like one of the spirits of legend. The Painted Lady perhaps. He shook his head - the chains rather ruined the image.

He waited patiently while she bended the remaining water off of herself, and she shivered slightly in the cool night air.

He walked over to her.

"Come back inside and get warm," placing a hand on her shoulder to gently guide her in the right direction.

She looked at him with disbelief in her eyes. He supposed she wasn't used to his concern over her comfort.

"If you fall ill, you can't serve my tea," he said gruffly.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"We can't have that, can we? Tui and La forbid! I can't be lazing around in my cell all day, can I?" she said bitterly.

They were both surprised when a chuckle escaped his lips. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You never lost any of your fight, did you?" he asked softly.

"You're in a strange mood tonight," she observed.

"Maybe I'm in a better mood because you smell more pleasant now," he said, baiting her.

She glared at him, blue fire sparking in her eyes. "It's your own fault. You didn't allow me to bathe!"

"And why do you think that is, waterbender?" he asked pointedly.

Katara let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, I know why. It doesn't mean I liked it."

The two benders arrived back at the cell, and the guards opened the door. Zuko followed her inside the small room.

"I will expect to see you tomorrow afternoon then. Unless, of course, you fall ill from your crazy escapade in the pond," he said lightly.

The girl looked at him for a moment, confusion in her gaze.

He turned to leave when he heard a quiet whisper behind him.

"Thank you. For tonight. It meant so much to be near it again, even just for a little while," she said, her head bowed toward the floor. Her curtain of hair concealed her face.

"If you remain trustworthy, perhaps we can make it a habit to visit the pond," he said, turning once more to go.

She turned her back to him, saying nothing more.

Katara rolled over on her cot, unable to sleep. She was more comfortable than she had been in weeks. Her belly was finally full, and she was clean, but at what price?

Was his ploy to make her trust him so she would tell her secrets? As time went on, it was becoming more difficult not to trust him. He had been treating her with kindness – he had seemed almost human. She had glimpsed someone else under the hard surface he projected. Someone capable of compassion.

She pounded her fist on the hard sleeping surface, then rolled over. She spit a few wayward strands of hair from her mouth.

She hated him. And she hated that she hated him for an entirely different reason. She hated him for putting a soul behind his stone face and his cruel demeanor.

She preferred the time when she only knew his visage through statues and paintings. The cold stone of the statues was easier to hate. It was easy to look upon his likeness and despise everything he had done to her people, to her country, to her.

But now…she could look into his eyes. Those amber eyes. When they had first met, his eyes were cold and full of hatred and cruelty. Now she could find warmth in them.

What is the man doing to me? I want to hate him.

Katara was nearly certain that he would abuse any trust she afforded him. She could not let her guard down.

What if it's not a ploy? What if I'm breaking through?

She closed her eyes.

Don't be stupid.

The minute you let your guard down, he will take your trust and smash it to bits, destroying you in the process.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a commotion outside her cell. She was glad for the distraction. Standing up, she quietly padded to the door. Nervously, she put her ear to the metal surface, trying to distinguish words from the cacophony of voices. She expected the door to swing open at any moment, but it never did.

She picked up pieces of shouted orders. Her ears heard the words Water Tribe and prisoner and escape. Footsteps clanged down the hall, and she carefully backed away from the door. To her disbelief, an exchange between two guards took place right outside her door. She could hear bits of the conversation without putting her ear to the door.

"…Fire Lord won't be happy…"

"…pity the guard who…"

"…man escaped, don't know…"

"…does the Fire Lord know yet?..."

Katara held in a gasp as she realized what the men were saying. One of the Water Tribe prisoners had escaped. If he made it back to the Northern Tribe, he would be able to bring word that she and the other prisoners were still alive. Her mind rejoiced at the news.

Her joy was dampened as she realized the ramifications. What if they mounted a rescue party? How many more would die in the attempt? What if Bato came? If he knew, he would be first in line to lead the rescue attempt. Katara couldn't bear the thought of his death. Although not related by blood, he was the only family she had left.

Oh La, what if Master Pakku came?

He was a great master, but he would surely be overwhelmed here in the Fire Nation capital. He wouldn't risk himself or his nation would he?

She tried to push the thought out of her mind and began to instead think of the unfortunate guards who had allowed the escape to take place. She hadn't liked the tone of terror in the guards' voices as they spoke of Zuko.

It helped bring her back to reality. The Fire Lord was a cruel man. Surely he would execute the poor souls who had been guarding the escaped prisoner. She had seen him in action; she had heard the horror stories. He had no compassion. His behavior with her must be an act.

She walked back over to her cot and lay down. Sleep was long in coming.

Zuko sat on the throne, the orange flames crackling menacingly in front of him. To say he had been furious when he learned of the Water Tribesman's escape was an understatement. The Fire Lord had immediately requested the offending guards be sent to the throne room.

He had stalked into the room a few minutes ago, his boots stomping on the hard marble floor. He ascended the throne, and lit the fire wall with a quick gesture. The flames heaved up and down with his breath. He closed his eyes and attempted to meditate to calm himself before the men arrived.

His breathing had become more steady by the time the two guards entered the room. He watched them through narrowed eyes; they hesitantly walked up to the base of the throne. Zuko felt a wave of disgust wash over him at the naked fear on their faces.

"Explain yourselves," he commanded, his quiet voice nearly an echo in the grand chamber.

The two men shared a glance, and the braver of the two spoke. He stuttered as he spoke.

"M-my lord, we had been ordered to transfer the man to another cell. The p-prisoner attacked us while in transit. We thought…we thought he was weak and sick. He barely moved when we picked him up. Suddenly, he seemed to move with the strength of ten men. He used the shackles on his wrists to hit me on the head. I was knocked unconscious. Daiki," he looked over to his fellow guard, "attempted to restrain the man, but was overpowered. The prisoner managed to elude all of us – he found one of the secret passages and escaped into the hills. The rest of the guards organized a search party – they are combing the hillside even now."

The man's eyes never left the smooth marble floor. When he finished speaking, he prostrated himself before Zuko, as did his friend.

"A thousand apologies, my lord!" he cried.

The Fire Lord's chest heaved with barely-contained anger.

"My own prison guards…overwhelmed by an ill, weak, half-starved water peasant! Do you realize what it will mean if this man carries information back to the Water Tribe?" he said dangerously.

"I swear by Agni, my lord, it will not happen again!" the man whispered, his voice shaking in fear.

"That's true. It will not." Zuko felt the fire burn through his body and come to life in his palm. He glanced dispassionately at the two men cowering before him, and then at the brilliant flame in his hand.

He readied himself to put these pathetic men out of their misery, when a curious thing happened.

All Zuko could see was the waterbender's face. Her disappointed face, her expression laced with horror. And he couldn't do it.

Damn her! What is she doing to me?

He closed his fist angrily, snuffing out the flame.

"Get out of my sight!" he hissed. "You are banished. If you ever set foot on Fire Nation soil again, you will be executed on the spot!"

The guards hesitated, as if they did not quite believe they were still among the living.

"GET OUT! Before I kill you myself!" Zuko shouted, the ceremonial flames shooting up to the ceiling in his anger.

The guards practically flew out of the room, and the Fire Lord was left wondering what had just happened.

The next afternoon, Katara entered the Fire Lord's study, once more bearing tea. She glanced over at the young man. He appeared to be in a foul temper today. He briefly looked up to glare at her, then returned his attention to the scroll that lay before him.

No doubt his dark mood had something to do with the escaped prisoner. While Katara's heart soared with hope at the thought that one of her fellow warriors had escaped the Fire Nation's clutches, she worried about the fate of the guards who had allowed it to happen.

There had been furtive whispers just beyond her cell door, but she could not determine what they had said, or whether the men had lived or died. She looked at the Fire Lord out of the corner of her eye. His hands currently held a scroll and an ink brush, but had they held fire last night? Had those hands dealt the killing blow to two innocent men?

She shuddered at the thought. Her eyes avoided his as he stood and walked over to the table.

He sat down with a sigh, and quietly sipped his tea.

This is a really stupid idea…

She had to know.

"Zuko?" she ventured.

He didn't answer.

Katara remained silent, unsure of whether to try again.

"What?" he answered suddenly.

The waterbender nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke.

"I am aware that one of the prisoners escaped last night," she began, and paused.

"Yes," he said curtly.

"Is he still free?" she asked.

"It is no business of yours," he said, a sharp edge in his voice.

It was now or never.

"I was wondering…what became of the guards who were watching him?" she asked, her voice quiet.

That got his attention.

"I banished them. They are never to set foot on Fire Nation soil again," he said with finality.

"Oh," she said simply, and her shoulders sagged in relief. So he hadn't killed them. Once again, he had proven that he wasn't a completely merciless bastard.

She felt his attention turn to her, and she looked up at him.

Confusion was written across his face.

"You perplex me, waterbender. Why should you care what happens to two enemy guards? And why should you be relieved when you learn that they still live?"

Katara was quiet a moment. Why did she care? Surely a large part of it was that she was trying to reconcile the Fire Lord's personality in her mind with her previous ideas of him. What was true and what was a lie?

She decided on an answer – which was certainly part of the truth, just not the whole truth.

"They were two innocent people who were merely trying to do their duty to their country. I can't fault that. I suppose I felt guilty that happy news for me very possibly meant their deaths," she explained.

He nodded, seeming to accept her answer.

He put his tea cup down on the tray, and Katara cleaned up the tea service. She once more prepared to surrender herself to the guards waiting outside the door.

She stopped when she heard his voice behind her.

"Katara!" he said sharply, command in his voice.

"Yes?" she answered, keeping her back toward him.

"Tomorrow, I wish for you to tell me about that ridiculous pastime you called penguin sledding," he ordered.

Katara's eyebrows rose toward the ceiling, and she answered him, not bothering to turn around.

"Very well," she said simply. She walked out of the room, trying to keep the ghost of a smile off of her face.

The next afternoon, Katara quietly prepared tea in the Fire Lord's study. He hadn't looked up as she walked in, so she ignored him and went about her business. She finished, poured two cups of tea, and waited for him to join her.

He finished with the document he was overlooking, and walked over to the low table. Katara wondered about his curious request the day before, and was unsure if he even remembered. She shifted her weight while she waited for him to speak.

He took a sip of his tea, then his rough voice cut through the silence.

"So, you had promised to tell me about penguin sledding," he prompted.

Katara allowed a rare, small smile to form on her lips. "Indeed I did."

He stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Penguin sledding was not exactly an activity my parents encouraged. First of all, there was plenty of work to keep us busy around the village, and we were expected to help with chores. Second, it's pretty dangerous."

"So how do you penguin sled?" Zuko interrupted.

"I'm getting there. Just be patient and listen to my story!" she chastised.

Zuko looked at her almost…sheepishly. She nearly laughed at the sight.

"I will tell you about the time that Sokka," she paused as a lump formed in her throat, "and I got in lots of trouble for sneaking out to penguin sled."

"We were not to leave the igloo that day. Sokka and I had gotten into a fight the previous day, and our punishment was that we were not to leave the igloo. Bad enough on a normal day, but we had just had fresh snow, and all the other children were out playing. It was perfect for penguin sledding."

"So, Sokka and I formed a plan to sneak out early in the morning, before anyone else was awake. It was summer, so there was still dim light even during nighttime. Makes it a little hard to sneak out," she said with a small laugh.

"Anyway, somehow we managed to get out of the village without waking anyone. We climbed to the top of the hill, where a group of penguins usually gathered. Now, you have to be careful when picking your penguin. You want to pick a nice sleek one, so it will slide over the snow nice and fast, but you want him to have a little weight, otherwise you're in for a rough ride."

"Once you've chosen, you have to catch the penguin, which can be difficult. Basically you have to sneak up behind him, and tackle him. Their escape response is to slide down the hill as fast as possible on their belly, so you just have to make sure you hang on once he goes belly down!"

"So Sokka and I each managed to choose our penguin. He chose one that looked very fast, and I was a little worried. Usually they stop before hitting the water, but I had a bad feeling about that one. We both jumped our penguins at the same time, and raced each other down the hill. My penguin came to a stop before hitting the water, but Sokka's kept going. He disappeared into the water."

As she told her story, she observed the young man across from her begin to lean ever so slightly forward, eager to hear the rest of the tale.

"I panicked. I knew that grown men had disappeared into that water, and never to emerge. Sokka was only ten years old at the time. I had only just learned of my waterbending abilities, and the only thing I knew how to do was push and pull the water. Well, the most amazing thing happened. Out of pure instinct, I raised a huge wave that carried Sokka back onto the land."

"He was shivering very badly, and his lips were turning blue. I knew I had to get him home. I removed what water I could from him, and together we made it back to our village. After Sokka was warmed up and our parents were assured that we were both alive and well, we received the worst tongue-lashing of our lives! It became legendary among the children of the village," she said with a wistful laugh.

"Sokka and I were grounded for the next two moon cycles, but in the end we both decided it had been worth it. It was the best penguin sled ride either of us had ever had."

She took a sip of her tea, her tale complete.

She looked in disbelief over the edge of her cup when she heard a snort of laughter from Zuko.

"That's quite an adventure. I think one day I would like to try penguin sledding," he said lightly.

"I'd like to see you try it," Katara returned. She nearly laughed at the image of him trying to penguin sled in full Fire Lord regalia.

"So what did you do for fun growing up around here?" she asked curiously.

Zuko seemed to freeze for a moment, and Katara immediately regretted asking.

"Fun… was not something we had a lot of around here," he admitted.

"Evidently," Katara replied.

A sudden light came to the man's golden eyes, and Katara looked at him, curious.

"Although, there was the one time that Azula came up with this prank to play on Minister Sheng…"

A few minutes later, their laughter echoed down the halls.

Azula's amber eyes observed her brother and the waterbender through a crack in a secret doorway that led into the study. She had been curious to see how teatime with the waterbender was coming along. Zuko had seemed a bit…softer as of late.

She watched the Water Tribe girl prepare the tea and wait for the Fire Lord. Then he took a sip of his tea. Surely, to most people, this would be nothing out of the ordinary. To Azula, it was earth-shattering. Her brother, her paranoid brother, always let his companion take the first sip of tea, just to make sure the other had not poisoned the brew.

Apparently, for reasons unbeknownst to her, Zuzu trusted this little water peasant. Her perfectly arched eyebrow raised toward the ceiling. This was an interesting development. Perhaps it was time to carry out her plans, and the waterbender was just the person to help.

She watched the pair for a while longer, and grew more disgusted with her brother. She couldn't quite make out what the two were saying, but she wanted to wipe the happy, content look off of her brother's face. Was he so weak that the waterbender was influencing him?

She heard the two share a laugh, and with a roll of her eyes, she turned to walk back down the secret corridor. She would visit the waterbender tonight – if she waited any longer, it might be too late. It seemed the waterbender was beginning to develop a soft spot for Zuko. That would not do at all. It was time to act.

Katara had just finished her dinner when the door to her cell creaked open. She looked up abruptly, as she hadn't expected anyone to enter. She suppressed a shudder when her eyes came upon the figure of Zuko's calculating sister.

Katara narrowed her blue eyes at the other woman. "What do you want?"

Azula immediately cut to the point. "I have a proposal for you. It's one that will guarantee your freedom."

As much as she didn't trust the Fire Nation royal, her curiosity was piqued.

"I'm listening," she said quietly.

"You are in a unique position. You serve tea to my brother, and moreover, he trusts you. He drinks out of his teacup before you drink from yours. I have never known him to be so careless with his food. You never know when it might be laced with poison."

Azula paused and let her words sink in.

Katara's mind reeled. This woman, whom she loathed, was offering her a chance to win her freedom, and ultimately rid the world of Fire Lord Zuko. A few months before, she would not have even thought of hesitating. A world without the Fire Lord would be better off. Another one, most likely Azula herself, would take his place, but she was the last remaining member of the immediate royal family.

If Azula could be conquered, the Fire Nation would erupt in civil war over the line of succession. They would be weakened.

But…could she do it? Tui curse him, he had shown her that there was a soul underneath his frightening visage. He had shown her that he was capable of laughter, of compassion.

"What if I did not agree to your plan? How do you know I wouldn't tell Zuko?" she asked.

Azula's smooth voice cut through the air. "I think you remember that we still have six Water Tribe prisoners left. I have given the guards an order to dispatch them in the event of my arrest."

Katara's eyes widened.

"How did you explain your visit to me to the guards? Surely they will be curious," she observed.

Azula's expression was threatening. "My brother is not the only one who can inspire fear. Trust me. The guards won't talk," she said darkly.

She continued.

"Perhaps you need more reassurance. In the chaos that will be sure to follow, I will arrange your escape. I can get you outside the city walls, but after that, you are on your own."

"Zuko is in the room each day when I prepare the tea, and before I enter, the guards are with me. How do you expect me to do it?"

"I will ensure that a pressing matter calls him away immediately before your arrival. You will only need a few moments alone."

Katara finally nodded, bile rising in her throat.

It's for the good of the world.

It's for your freedom.

Azula crossed the distance to Katara and handed her a small vial. The Water Tribe woman flinched when she took hold of it, as if it burned her.

"Take care that you don't touch the contents. It is quite deadly. Only a small amount is needed."

Katara hid the vial in the cuff of her sleeve.

"Tomorrow, waterbender. All you have to do is put it in the tea. I will take care of the rest."

And with that, she was gone.