Chapter 7

Zuko's POV

Three hours later…

Things could not have worked out better even if I had months to plan it.

The way my plan had run so smoothly had me contemplating if I was better at plotting than I thought. The reaction on the Avatar's face was all I needed to confirm that I had succeeded. The look of betrayal and mistrust was so very evident on his boyish face that I almost felt a slight twinge of pity for him.

The woman he was so obviously in love with wanted the touch of his mortal enemy.

She wanted to be kissed, caressed, and touched by me. If there was any kind of kindling relationship going on between the Avatar and my woman it was clearly shattered in that one look.

Striding across my room I sat down in my favorite chair near the only window on board the ship. I poured myself a glass of wine and not for the first time thanked my Uncle for stocking the ship very well before our last departure, and began reminiscing on how the night had played out.

I could not let myself fall asleep or there was a huge chance I would miss my opportunity to execute Plan #2. I had to keep my mind preoccupied. I could feel a smirk cross my face as my thoughts went back to that glorious hot spring. The steam had been so soothing that it relaxed my tense muscles. I had waited in that hot spring for close to thirty minutes after I had ordered one of my men to dress up as a villager and approach the Avatar. He was to wait until Katara had set off for the hot spring before approaching the Avatar and that idiot brother of hers. Once he was sure that Katara was far enough along he was supposed to tell them about the festival taking place in the village.

It was just his luck that he had remembered such a fact.

The plan would not have worked properly if the Avatar were to have left Katara and went with her brother to the festival. It would also fail if Sokka had come looking for her because I needed it to be the Avatar, even though seeing the look on his face when he realized that Katara had been in my arms would have been worth it.

That's why I had strictly ordered the crew member to persuade Sokka to go without the Avatar and have the Avatar go search for Katara by any means necessary. Meanwhile I would get her in the most compromising situation possible in hope of destroying any kind of relationship that they might have had.

I had felt so at peace as I leaned against the rock and allowed the warm waters to relieve me of all stress. However, just the thought of Katara's naked form joining me shortly was enough to get my blood rushing straight to my groin.

When I heard her approach I had to school my raging desire before I lost control but the sight of her appearing from behind the boulder with those wondrous curves and ample breast looking so utterly delectable sent almost every thought of my plan out of my head. I had to steady myself because if I wasn't careful I would probably end up taking her right then and I couldn't let that happen.

I watched as a myriad of emotions flashed across her eyes before landing on the one that was probably reflecting in my own, desire.

She had tried to take control of the situation by playing the whole 'what are you doing here' spiel as if she hadn't known that I had been watching her for weeks. I humored her but couldn't resist pulling her in to my arms. She had felt so good in my arms that I had debated once again whether or not I should say to hell with my plan and cave in to my desires. I had gone too long without a woman since I started watching over her.

Our bodies melded together as if our bodies were meant to be together. She was the right height, her skin silky smooth, and those beautiful blue eyes that I could get lost in had me wondering if she were made just for me. She had begun to get nervous and it was reasonable to say that she had never been held so intimately before. That thought alone increased my desire of her and I was delighted as I increased my hold of her.

What had angered me though was when she attempted to hide herself from me after all those many long hours she had known I watched her bathe. Now, she wanted to hide it from me, as if saying I wasn't worthy of viewing what was so clearly established in my mind as mine.

She had questioned once again what had brought me to her and I was slightly frustrated so I only told her the quick version. I never liked talking about my father and just thinking about him now was making me angry. That's why I didn't want to dwell too long on that subject because that would seriously kill the mood I was striving for. Time was limited and I had to work quickly if I was going to get the desired affect out of her.

I took her in my arms once again and told her and I wasn't lying either. I wanted her then I wanted her now and if I had my way then I would have had her then.

She had been shocked by my words and the more she squirmed the more turned on I became. So I began attacking her neck with hot kisses, allowing my tongue to linger on her skin. I ground my hardened arousal against her and let her feel what she had done to me.

I told her she could stop me if she wanted to but I knew she wouldn't; and I was right. My hands began wandering as if they had a mind of their own and removed the towel that she had been clutching so tightly in front of her so that my kisses could trail lower.

I moved on to her breasts and let my hands and tongue work their magic there. When my hand shifted lower I moved back to her neck so that I could press my body fully against hers. As my hand began playing with the juncture between her thighs she began to writhe in my arms.

Her moans and pants were as sweet as honey and as intoxicating as any drug. I was already addicted as I allowed my fingers to please her in a way that she had clearly never experienced. That's when I noticed the movement off to the side. Too many years of being on the lookout for would be assassins had me on constant alert.

Katara's eyes were still closed so I looked over her and was delighted at seeing the dome shape of the Avatar's head. It was time to turn things up a notch for our special guest because I doubted that he could tell exactly what I was doing.

I began pressing hot butterfly kisses against her skin and she began to urge me to kiss her, which I delayed purposefully. Every time she tried to capture my lips I would kiss her somewhere else. I knew it was making her angry but I needed to carry out my plan regardless. I made eye contact with him for the first time and let him see the mischievousness in my eyes.

I turned my attention back to Katara and what she wanted. Sure enough she began to ramble about how she wanted me to kiss her; perfect. I knew the avatar had heard her given his proximity there was no way that he couldn't have.

I then kissed her with everything that I could muster without giving a hint to my distraction. She had tasted so sweet that I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay there and continue to make love to her mouth before moving on to the real thing. If I wanted to I could have taken her right there in front of the avatar but a gut feeling told me that the avatar wouldn't have let it go on that far.

Ultimately I had to break away from those tantalizing lips as I felt her tightening around my fingers. She had looked so hurt and shocked when I pulled so abruptly away from her but it had to be done. With one last smirk at the avatar, I broadcasted a talent neither knew I could perform; a type of teleportation that allowed me to make hasty exits. I could only go a certain distance and had to know exactly where I was going but it served its purpose.

Draining the last of the wine I opted to raid the ship for harder liquor but decided against it because I needed to be awake for the next part of my plan. I settled for gazing out the window and counting down the minutes until I would have my woman in my arms. It should not be long now. All I have to do is wait a little longer for one of my men to spot that ridiculous flying bison and it'll be onto plan 2.

I couldn't help but smile as I began to anticipate our next meeting. All I had to do was separate her from the avatar and everything will play out smoothly. It's a good thing I paid the village leader's daughter to keep her annoying brother out of the way for a while….

Katara's POV

I have never felt so utterly miserable in all my life.

The way Aang had looked at me… as if I had committed the ultimate taboo…and maybe I had. What shocked me the most was the fact that he made me feel the one emotion that I never thought he could bring forth out of me; fear. He hadn't gone into the Avatar State but I could feel that he was very close to. The raw energy he displayed without even lifting a finger made the hairs on my arm rise.

I honestly have never seen him so angry before and what hurt the worst was the fact that I was the cause of it.

My stupid addiction to that bastard Prince that I can't describe…that I can't control…is the cause of it. If I could change back the hands of time then maybe I could stop all of this from happening. I should have known better than trying to play with fire like that. I should have known better than to succumb to his ministrations.

What was I?

Some kind of prostitute?

Why would I let him of all people touch me in a way that should only be reserved for a husband and wife…hell at least for lovers?

We had no kind of previous relationship, in all honesty, I know absolutely nothing about him and yet I melted in his arms as if it were the most natural thing to do.

What's worse is that I knew how Aang felt about me. I knew that he was in love with me but I did nothing to curb his intentions. For all I know, my refusal to set him straight may have caused him to believe that his feelings were reciprocated.

I never meant to intentionally lead him on. It was just natural to be around him, to laugh with him, to joke around with him, to eat meals and share stories with him. To me he was like my best friend, nothing more nothing less. I never imagined us together and yet a part of me had always wondered whether he thought otherwise.

The age difference had little effect on me, it was just that Aang failed to stir any kind of attraction, romantically and sexually. Even though he had grown over the years my feelings remained the same. He still had the same boyish face and shaved head yet he is well over a foot taller than me and his shoulders had broadened out a little. His voice had hit that adolescence stage where it was neither childishly high nor maturely deep; just somewhere in the middle. Maybe that's what it was. I had watched him grow up and that's why I can't harbor any romantic feelings towards him.

I'm still in the same spot he blasted me to. I had long since stopped my sobbing as I sit on edge waiting for him to come back.

It's as if my body has completely stopped working properly. I'm neither hungry nor tense from being in the same position for hours on end. It's as if my entire body is numb and the only thing that's actually on my mind as I continue to sit here and think. It's been hours now and dawn is approaching and yet I'm far from sleepy.

My legs are unable to support me long enough for me to go looking for him let alone reach Appa whose been watching me with distain in his eyes as if he knew all the trouble I had caused. Once again I never meant for any of this to happen. I bring my knees up and wrap my arms around them.

Suddenly I hear a rustling in the bushes in front of me and I panicked. If it's a wild animal then I'm in deep trouble because there is no way that I can get up and run let alone defend myself. My muscles tense up for the first time but only relaxed a little when Aang's tall frame steps into view.

He isn't looking at me but I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. They followed everything about him. From his face cleared completely of all emotion, his unreadable eyes, thinly drawn lips, down to his tense shoulders, to his hands where a number of scratches are prominent; evidence of hours of striking something…hard.

"Let's go" he said gruffly and not for the slightest moment did I think it was a request. It was as if my body snapped to attention and I was finally able to raise myself up on shaky legs. "Get your things. We're leaving now" His voice was crisp and firm as he started gathering up our things not looking in my direction at all. It was as if he refused to even acknowledge where I was.

"S-so we're not c-coming back?" I asked tentatively watching as his movements stopped and he finally turned to look at me.

His gaze pierced me like a knife as his eyes took me in finally with a look of cold indifference. "No we're not coming back regardless of whatever the hell kind of excuse you think you can come up with now"

"Aang…I just…" I began rambling, fidgeting with the hem to his shirt. What else was there for me to say?

"We have to get out of here before your little friend decides to pay us another visit. To think the guy has been here and you didn't say anything…sometimes I really wonder Katara" Aang stated continuing to pack our things away on top of Appa's back. "Now let's go" he demanded.

I didn't hesitate in following his instructions but why did things have to turn out this way? Why did I have to be the one to turn Aang into what he is now? To make him so angry that he's turning slowly into something I could quickly fear, how had it come to this?

Aang jumped up on top of Appa and thrust his hand down to me, I hesitantly took it. His grip was firm and rough as he yanked me up on Appa's back. I sat further back putting enough distance between Aang and I, which was more for his benefit than mine. I was pretty sure that Aang did not want to be bothered with being close to me.

The usually small oval ring on Appa's back seemed to have doubled as I stared at Aang's back from my side of the ring.

There was the familiar jolt in my stomach as Appa took flight soaring high into the sky. It still amazed me to no end that something so big and fluffy could manage flight but then again he did come from the air bending tribe. I looked over the edge and watched as the scenery changed as we soared higher and it was harder to identify individual trees from each other.

"How did Sokka get way out here?" I asked uncertainly and watched as his back stiffened before he turned to answer me.

"He took Appa and flew over with this guy to the village. Appa flew back without him"

"What guy?" I asked perplexed. I hadn't seen any strange guy.

"He showed up almost exactly at the same time you left. He said there was a festival in the village. Sokka went with him and I was supposed to bring you" he stated turning away from me again.

"A festival? What kind of festival?" I asked knowing I was pressing my luck. It was really obvious that he did not want to talk to me but the more we continued to converse the more I could pretend that everything was alright. Call me stupid or whatever you like but anything was better than nothing.

"It was a dedication to the air-bending tribe. A celebration that the village holds every ten years," his voice was hollow and I felt as if somebody had just punched me in the gut. He released the reigns he had on Appa to turn and stare directly in my face. I think he wanted to honestly see my reaction to this bit of news. Well, he got what he wanted because another thing had been added to the list that was continuing to condemn me in Aang's eyes.

Not only did I dash all of Aang's hopes of us being together, made Zuko privy to our location, betray his trust, but also made Aang miss the one thing he probably would have loved to see. It just couldn't get any worst.

Something good had to be waiting around the corner. I couldn't even form enough coherent words to apologize for everything. I couldn't even look at him anymore and resorted to looking down at my trembling hands. I was completely naked under Aang's shirt combined with the fact that it was early morning and the high altitude; I finally realized that I was freezing. My teeth began to chatter as my body shivered and I jumped in surprise when I felt the warmth of Aang's body next to mine.

I looked up at him but his eyes were unreadable as he wrapped a blanket around me and put his arm around my shoulders pulling me into his warmth. I was in complete and utter shock and a part of me was delighted that it seemed that he just might not be as mad as I thought. He might have found a way to forgive me somewhat. He dashed those hopes quickly.

"If you didn't look like you were going to freeze to death I wouldn't even bother" he stated coldly and yet his arm seemed to tighten around my shoulders.

I could feel my eyes watering as I fought back the tears that I knew would come cascading down my face. "Aang…you have to believe me…I'm so sorry for everything that I did to y-"

"Katara save it. Just please let me…just be quiet alright?" he asked roughly "just let me do this…just let me hold you okay?" the way he said it sent astonishment coursing through me. He wanted to hold me and I realized that I had never been this close to him before. Yes, he was still angry but I could tell that his feelings for me had not completely changed. I couldn't tell if this was a good thing or not but I was going to take anything that I could to get him to look at me the way he used to.

As the village became clearer I tried to hold on to the fact that Aang still had feelings for me which meant that he didn't completely write me off as an enemy. He had said that he couldn't trust me anymore but there was still hope. And by the way things were going hope was all I had left.