Camp Avatar: Chapter 7

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"Zuko?! Why do you need to talk to me? It's almost midnight!" Katara whisper-yelled.

"I'm sorry, but I just have to."

Katara stopped at his words. They sounded urgent, almost dire. That was NOT like Zuko at all. Warily, she climbed out of her bed, suddenly realizing how inconvenient this time of night was for a talk. She hadn't brushed her teeth in hours, and her boxers and tee shirt made her feel completely exposed.

He nodded his thanks to her, and slunk out of the bunkhouse. She stealthily followed him, trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake Suki or Song.

It feels like we're about to commit a crime, Katara mused. She stepped into the cool night air, and shivered as a small breeze whirled around her ankles.

Zuko didn't stop walking when they were just outside of the cabin. Katara raised an eyebrow, but he didn't see her, just kept on going.

As they walked, Katara once again felt the tension in the air. They walked side by side, but they didn't even try to talk.

An owl hooted in the distant woods, and Katara jumped and backed into Zuko. He grunted and pushed her aside as she adjusted herself.

Finally, they were at the edge of the woods, and Zuko stopped. He knew how odd this was; him, dragging a girl to the woods in the middle of the night at summer camp……….

"Look, I need to talk to you." He said, trying to keep the harshness out of his voice.

"I kinda figured that out already." Katara replied.

"I know we haven't been on the best terms lately…" he stopped as Katara snorted and glared, waiting for her to let him continue.

"Sorry."

"I just want to let you know that…..Idon'twanttolikeyouanymore." He chocked as the words just came out of his mouth. This was not what he planned to say!

What happened to his rehearsed speech about setting down their verbal insults and trying to achieve levels of comradery?

It went down the toilet.

"Did……did you just say what I think you said?" Katara's voice trembled as she spoke at the realization of his rushed words. What had he said?

Oh yeah, "I don't want to like you anymore". Anymore???

"No, NO! I didn't mean to say that……!" he tried quickly to redeem himself, but couldn't find a convincing excuse for his rampant tongue.

"Zuko, it's ok…."

"Forget what I said!" he slapped his hand to his face, turning red.

"Zuko…."

"I said, FORGET IT!" he roared. A small hand clamped down on his mouth. He immediately stopped.

"Will you listen to me? First of all, shut up! Do you want the whole camp to know we're out here? What do you think they will think?"

"Secondly, I've been trying to tell you that……." She cleared her throat and blushed.

"I think I like you too." She removed her hand from his mouth. Zuko's mouth fell open as he stared at Katara, who suddenly looked VERY different in the moonlight.

"Wha……?" he stopped, at a loss for words. Katara shook her head.

"I shouldn't have told you. But I had to get it off my chest." She averted her eyes from his face and turned to go.

"Wait." He grabbed her shoulder.

"I brought you here to tell you that even though I like you, I don't want to. I want to end this right here." Her eyes widened.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Not like that!" he angrily added.

"I want to stop talking to you. Every time I do, something……happens." He blushed again at the awkwardness of his words.

"Oh god. Zuko!" Katara practically screamed.

"NO!!!!!!!!! EVERYTHING IS COMING OUT WRONG!" he raged right back.

"What did you think that was going to sound like?" Katara replied. Zuko was about to argue back when a light came on in the distance. It was coming from the counselor's cabin!

"Please. We both need to go. I just want to say that I'm going to try to not…..like you anymore. It's too complicated." Katara nodded at Zuko's words, silently wishing that they didn't have to let go of their feelings. Zuko was adorable in the moonlight…….

The counselor's cabin door opened, and Katara and Zuko turned toward the light.

"Oh no. We can't go back to our cabins!" Katara hissed.

"I know, I know. I'm working on that little problem!" Zuko hissed back.

They saw a tiny person come out of the cabin, carrying a flashlight. It was Jee! Quickly, Zuko grabbed Katara's hand and started running with her into the woods.

Katara immediately gasped in pain as her ankle was spurred into unwanted motions. Even though she had shed the wrappings after dinner, hoping they would be ok, her ankle still hurt, and Zuko practically dragging her through the woods was very painful.

"Zuko, stop! Please, my ankle!" she cried.

"We can't stop. If Jee finds us…it will be bad."

"Zuko!" she started crying. Bewildered, he let go of her hand.

"YOU DUMBASS! This is completely your fault! If you hadn't forced me to come out here and go for a run in the woods, we wouldn't be in this situation. LET ME GO!" she screamed. She wrenched her arm from his grip and took off in the night, going in the opposite direction.

"No!" he whispered. Still, he kept on running, afraid to stop.

Actually, the situation had turned out better then he thought. Now she definitely wouldn't like him, and he would feel nothing towards her.

OOOOOO

Katara stopped just on the edge of the forest. Gasping from fresh pain and her tears, she fell on the ground.

She crawled to the edge and glanced out. The light was out; Jee must have gone back to his cabin. Katara stood up and walked back around the lake to her cabin, making sure to go extra quietly by Jee's cabin. She had just about made it when his door flung open.

Jee grabbed her arm and pulled her forward so he could see her better.

"So you're the little vandal who's been sneaking out……Katara?" his sentence at first was spiteful, but then this tone changed to surprise.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

OOOOOOOOOO

Zuko snuck around the side of camp that was farther away from Jee's cabin. He made it back to his bunk and collapsed on his bed, weak and weary.

He had acted very rashly, there was no denying that. His uncle always said that he never thought many things through. He hoped that Katara had made it back to her cabin all right……and that nothing had happened to her.

Why did he feel so idiotic for trying to convince himself that he didn't like Katara? The question kept appearing in Zuko's weary mind as he tossed and turned and waited for sleep to come to him.

OOOOO

The next morning Zuko got up before Jet and Haru and took a shower, then departed for the mess hall. He ate his breakfast alone, as always, and waited for someone to come and announce the day's activities. Rokku walked in waited for everyone to quiet for him to begin his announcement.

"It seems as though there have been some people who are taking advantage of this camp." Rokku began.

Oh. No. was Zuko's first thought.

"There was a serious problem last night when a student snuck out of bed and thought a little romp in the woods would be fun!" he said fun like normal people would say "vomit".

"So, while the counselors and I try to deal with the situation, you all will have a free day on the lake. Dismissed."

Zuko felt his face turning redder and redder. This was all his fault! Katara didn't deserve to be blamed for something he forced her to do……..

He forcefully got up and walked outside, pondering what to do.

In the meantime, Sokka, Aang, and Toph were all sitting by the lake, dumbfounded. When Katara hadn't shown up in the mess hall that morning, they were sure she had overslept, but after Rokku's announcement, it was clear where she was.

"It's just not like her!" Sokka repeated for the billionth time.

"I mean, I've known her forever, and she wouldn't just sneak out without cause!" he finished.

"I know. Why would she leave?" Aang asked, staring out over the lake.

"Personally, I think everyone is blowing this out of proportion. It isn't that big of a deal." Toph said.

"Come on, the poor girl just went for a walk in the woods!" she finished.

"Yeah…..was there something they didn't tell us about?" Aang asked. Sokka's eyes grew as round as saucers.

"We have to go talk to her!" The gang jumped up, but then realized they didn't know where Katara was.

"She might be in the nurse……because of her ankle." Toph inferred.

"You're right." They took off into the mess hall towards the nurse's office. Sure enough, they found Katara in the small room, resting on a tiny cot. She quickly sat up as they walked in.

"Hey guys." She said, trying to smile but failing.

"Katara, what happened?" Aang asked with concern in his eyes.

"What are they going to do to you?" Sokka asked.

"Guys! Please, let Katara explain. You're being rude." Toph punched Sokka in the arm.

"Oh really, miss….." Sokka started to retort but was stopped short by Aang covering his mouth with his hand.

"Shut. Up." Aang glared at the other two.

They all turned to Katara to listen to her story.

She took a breath and began to talk.

"I snuck out to meet this guy because he said he wanted to talk……which we did, and as we came back, Jee caught me."

"That doesn't sound so bad." Aang said kindly.

"WHAT? You snuck out to talk to a guy?!?!" Sokka made air quotes as he said the word "talk".

Katara ignored his comment.

"They're talking about sending me home early." She said as tears filled her eyes.

"WHAT?" the whole gang screamed in unison.

"It's not just this incident…..I've gotten in trouble quite a few times this week." She began sobbing, and Aang and Toph put their arms around her comfortingly.

"We know you Sugarqueen. You would never do something bad on purpose." Toph said.

"Agreed. It's going to be ok!" Aang confidently grinned. Katara started crying harder, her emotions violently clashing. On one hand, she might be expelled from the camp she loved so much. On the other hand, she had the best friends in the world.

"So, who did you talk to?" Sokka tried to ask nonchalantly.

"No one." Katara avoided his eyes.

"Seriously!" Sokka said, raising his voice.

"Drop it, Snoozels." Toph sent him a glare that promised him a quick ticket to hell, but it was aimed in the wrong direction, so he missed it.

"I just want to find the guy and beat the shit out of him!" Sokka whined.

Katara giggled for the first time all day.

"That doesn't sound too bad actually." She said, wiping her eyes. She gathered everyone around for a big group hug.

"Thanks." Was all she said. And it was all that was needed.

OOOOOOO

Katara had lain down again later and was trying to catch up on her rest. After all, she missed a LOT the previous night.

She was now determined to never even talk to Zuko ever again. The thoughtless bastard was dead to her, or so she tried to convince herself.

Katara was having the worst time trying to make Zuko into a faceless villain whom she could easily hate. But when she tried, she failed miserably.

When she tried to think of how Zuko had dragged her out into the night, all she thought of was the feeling of his hand in hers, guiding her in darkness.

When she tried to think of how Zuko tipped over their canoe, all she could think of was him in swim trunks. Topless. Hot!

When she tried to think of how Zuko had left some vests for her to wash, all she remembered was their wonderfully fun soap fight, and how he had smiled at her.

Katara mentally screamed as she brought out many images and thoughts. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hate him. She couldn't even deny her attraction for him!

She tossed and turned on her little cot, trying to forget everything in sleep.

Even though she was still in the nurse's office, the small space now felt more then ever like a binding prison, caging her thoughts and constantly bringing them forward to torture her.

Great. Now she was going insane.

Suddenly, Rokku walked in gravely. Katara quickly sat up to greet the elderly counselor.

"Hello Miss Katara." He nodded in her direction. She acknowledged him with a similar nod.

"We have reviewed your records from this camp. You have a good record; I couldn't see any other major incidents in the past. And you have been at this camp for a while."

"Yes sir." Katara nodded.

"So, myself and the other counselors are allowing you to stay at camp for the remainder of the week."

Katara gasped in shock. She had been sure they were going to send her home!

"Thank you sir!" she cried. She could feel happy tears forming as she thought of the wonderful times ahead.

"You are welcome." Rokku bowed his head slightly and made his exit, leaving Katara in shock on the bed.

OOOOOOO

She later left the nurse's office and went to her cabin. She limped slightly as her new ankle wrappings were tight. She pushed on the handle of her door and went inside. She found Suki and Song on Suki's bed, in deep conversation. When they saw her, they jumped up.

"Katara! You're back!" Suki screamed as she fiercely hugged her friend. Song joined in the hug.

"We thought you might get sent home. They're so strict about those things." Song said.

"Well, they looked at my record, and it showed that I was a good little girl." Katara grinned as her friends released her.

"Come on. Song and I took some extra food from the kitchens. Some man named Iroh gave them to us." Suki sat back down on the bed, showing Katara the Oreos and Doritos they had taken.

"Junk-food binge?" Katara asked. Song and Suki grinned.

"Heck yes." Song and Katara joined Suki on the bed, staying up late into the night.

OOOOO

Alright guys, hope this chapter was good. Review and tell me!

Sayomi