A/N: Sorry you guys. Some stuff came up and I couldn't use my computer this weekend. So I stayed after school finished it. You're welcome :)

I don't have time to do review shout-outs right now but I'll encompass them into the next chapter.

Thanks for reading and REVIEW PLEASE!


They ate in silence. The only sounds that were present, were the scraping of their spoons against the bowl and their mouths trying to chew the rubbery bread. Occasionally they would catch each other trying to steal glances, but other than that, they stayed away from one another. Katara and Zuko tried their best to ignore each other, but it was becoming unbearable.

Zuko cleared his throat. "So Katara, do you, um like being a waterbender?"

"Oh shut up." It was a dumb question, and he knew it. "I told you not to talk to me."

"I was just curious, geez."

Again they encountered silence, but Zuko couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and walked towards the door. "Hey! I need to use the bathroom!"

"Well you're gonna have to hold it. Your keeper is at dinner." The guard answered back.

"We aren't animals! We don't have keepers!"

"Might as well be." The guards let a muffled chuckle escape their throats.

"Would you rather have me pee all over the floor!"

"Please don't." Katara knew he wouldn't, but she thought her opinion should be known.

"I thought you weren't talking."

"I said you can't talk, but I can all I want."

"Oh and who made you the rule maker?"

"You did. When you used and manipulated me to your own selfish benefit, I think you forfeited that right."

"Will you just stop it with that!" He stomped over to her mat. "You know, if I remember correctly I think you kissed me!" He smirked with delight.

Katara stood up, her cheeks were beginning to redden when she remembered the kiss she initiated. "Well you tried to pass yourself for- for some random guy!"

"Who you kissed and agreed to meet on the beach in the middle of the night." He smiled smugly in her face because they both knew who was going to win this fight.

"Well you kissed me the first and third time! Not to mention the last!"

They both got quiet when she mentioned the last kiss they shared. They were very aware of the pure passion that erupted between them when their lips touched. Or for that matter whenever they were in arms distance of one another. The sun was about to disappear out of the sky, and the room was getting darker by the moment. Instinctively, Zuko leaned forward, being pulled by her magnetic force, but she turned her head away, and his lips brushed against her cheek.

"What's wrong with you! Do you just have absolutely no self control! Katara pushed him away, with surprising force, and he landed with a thud against the wall.

"I have plenty of self control!"

"Then why can't you just keep your hands and lips to yourself!"

Zuko wished he could say because your just too beautiful, or because you make me lose all my control. But what he wanted to say more than anything is, because I love you. He knew, no way, he could ever say that.

"Its dark, and we're both need rest. I think we should go to sleep."

"Right like I'm going to sleep anywhere near you."

"Do you have a choice?"

Katara laid down on her mat and faced the wall. "Just stay on your side and away from me. Try to control yourself please."

"Goodnight to you too."

Both knew they were not going to sleep tonight.


Katara awoke to the sound of heavy breathing and grunting. Her eyes fluttered open and she faced a sweaty Zuko doing push-ups. He had taken his shirt off, and muscles were glistening in the morning sun. She couldn't help but pretend to sleep while he put on quite a show.

Zuko knew she was watching him. He made sure show off his strength as much as he could. He switched to one armers, then to crunches. He stood up when their breakfast slid across the floor and halted at his feet.

"The Admiral wants to speak with you when you're finished eating. So make it quick." The guard shut the door, not before peeking at Katara though.

Zuko saw his eyes shoot over to take a longer than necessary look at the sleeping waterbender, and stepped in his line of vision.

"Tell Zhao, I'll be done in twenty minutes."

Katara did her best at reenacting waking up. She did all the cliches. Yawn, stretch her arms, rub her eyes, and say, "What time is it?"

"I'd say about seven o'clock from the position of the sun."

"Well I think you're wrong." Katara was just looking for a fight now. "It's eight o'clock."

She was really making him mad now. "Will you just cut it out! For Agni's sake! You're being ridiculous!"

"Well I think its ridiculous that you tricked me."

Zuko closed his eyes and took in a long, deep breath. He held it and focused all his negative energy into a stream of hot air. He exhaled and opened his eyes. Better.

She stood up and began to walk over to the tray of food. She caught Zuko carefully eyeing her as she sat down.

"Do I have something on my face or something?" She rubbed her cheeks trying to feel any dried drool.

"No its just, well you um... talk in you sleep." Zuko's cheeks turned pink.

Katara was very nervous about what may have slipped out last night. "Well what did I say?" Half of her didn't want to know the answer.

"Well actually-" He was interrupted when a guard came to the door.

The guard knocked, but didn't wait for a reply. "Prince Zuko. Admiral Zhao is ready for you." His eyes shot over to Katara. What a lucky little bastard. Of course the spoiled Prince gets to share the room with the pretty girl. I would readily give up my extra bunk for her.

Zuko didn't want to leave Katara alone. Not with all these grown men who can't seem to keep it in their pants roaming the ship.

"I'll only go if she comes with me."

The guard hesitated."Fine. Get dressed."

Katara put her clothes on as fast as possible. Zuko grabbed her hand and followed the guard.

"You don't need to hold my hand."

"Be quiet. You should be thanking me."


They entered a very large, dimly lit room. Fire nation insignia covered the wall. A long, brown table with a world map took up most of the space. Around the table, there were twelve evenly spaced chairs, probably for high ranking war officers.

"Prince Zuko, Master Katara." Zhao mockingly bowed. "How nice to see you, take a seat."

Zhao stood at the head of the table, hands neatly clasped behind his back on top.

"What do you want." Zuko wasn't in the mood to play games.

"I just wanted to check up on my favorite prisoners."

"If you want Aang, you going to have to find him yourself."

"Actually Prince Zuko, you're wrong." Zhao fixed his glance in Katara. "The Avatar will be coming to me."

"You're insane."

"He loves the girl right?" Zhao smiled, and Katara tightened her grip on his hand. "Love is stronger than reason."

Zuko knew he was right. Trust me, I know.

"Then why do you need me?"

"So I can kill two birds with one stone."


This is torture. Absolute torture. Aang sat in his usual place at the breakfast table,but he was alone. He looked from chair to chair, but they were all empty. Sokka and Suki were off 'preparing for battle'. The usual laughter and joy that filled the golden room, was gone. His spoon pushed his dried banana squares around in his bowl. The pieces swirled and then clumped together to made abstract shapes, that some how resembled Katara. He sighed. I don't think I'm hungry anymore... He walked to the window and stared out the sea. It just wasn't fair really. Everything reminded him of Katara. This isn't right. I can't just abandon her. And Zuko of course. He was overwhelmed with guilt. He couldn't stand to just sit idly by while she is trapped on a Fire Navy ship. She is probably cold and alone, just waiting to be rescued.


"What are we going to do?!" Katara paced in the small room. "We can't let Aang come anywhere near Zhao!"

"Katara." Zuko grabbed ahold of her shoulders. "Everything will be alright. Aang is the Avatar, he can defeat Zhao."

"But Zhao knows that!" She was on the verge of tears. "Don't you see! Its a trap! He knows he can't beat Aang or he would have just captured him back on Ember Island!"

"Katara, you need to relax." He shook her shoulders. "There isn't anything we can do right now. We just have to be patient and wait."

"I have been patient! I have waited! I've waited all year for this comet, the world has been waiting, and now I just have to sit in a cell and hope the other four figure it out!"

"Being agitated and stressed out isn't going to fix any problems." He loosened his grip on her shoulders. "The best thing we can do is just wait for the right moment."

"You're right." She exhaled. "We just need to be patient. The time will come." She looked up at him. "Wait a minute, when did you become so wise?" She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"When you spend three years running around the world with my Uncle," He chuckled, "You pick up a few things."

Katara loved to see his eyes light up when he mentioned his uncle.

"So what are we supposed to do now?"

Zuko hesitated. "I guess we just wait and try to stay alive. The ship will have to dock eventually."

"Do you know where we're headed?"

"West." He looked out the window. "Towards the Earth Kingdom."

"Earth Kingdom? I would think we would be going straight for the heart of the fire nation."

"Well Zhao doesn't always make the best decisions."

"How long do you think we'll be trapped in here?" She was afraid to know the answer.

"I'd say at least three days." He looked back at Katara. "More if we have to refuel."

"Three days isn't too bad..." She walked back towards her mat. "I'm sure we can find a way to pass the time."

Zuko couldn't hold back a grin, and Katara caught it. "Wow. Real mature Zuko. Do you ever think about anything else?"

"Yes! Plenty of things." He began to make a mental list. "Turtle Ducks."


A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but I didn't have a lot if time. This was more like a leading chapter that helps guide the rest of the story. Still, I hope you like it and PLEASE REVIEW! I know people are reading this, but they still refuse to review. So please just take 10 seconds and write something. Thank you :)