Author's Note : Hohmygosh! Another chapter? And in under less than twenty four hours? Has Trinny gone insane? Well, I'm sure I have. But that's not the point. I've actually just had more of the...motivation to work on this rather than any of my other projects - both art and writing and life. Anyway, another chapter, yes. Please read and review, I appreciate it. Another long chapter for you, so enjoy!

Disclaimer : I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike & Bryan as well as Viacom, Nick, etc. I can only lay claim to the stories I write and the characters I create of my own volition - like Kaida

Fire in the Skies

-- The Solstice --

Well, there was no use hiding it now. Iroh had been finding any chance at all to get Kaida and Zuko together. The crew watched in silent humor as they watched the teenagers go through the classic torture that the old man was putting them through. It had only been less than twelve hours after they had returned with Iroh - fully clothed - to the ship. And yet, they had been pushed together at least four times already. Kaida was getting annoyed quickly and she could see that Zuko was on the very edge of his patience with his Uncle Iroh. They were sailing back to the fire nation. Kaida paced nervously in the middle of the deck, her hands behind her back as she watched quietly and bit down on her lip. Zuko was at the head of the ship, an hour glass in his hands as he looked ahead.

Iroh was furious. "Prince Zuko! Sailing to Fire Nation waters? This is the most foolish thing you have ever done in all of your sixteen years!" He growled, standing to the right and behind his nephew. The guard on the left seemed nervous, though he let it slide as he watched where they were headed. Zuko shook his head.

"I have no choice." He stated dryly, focus still looking through the spy glass. He didn't notice that Kaida had stopped in her pacing and was quickly advancing on him, a hand raised to slap him hard on the back of the head.

"Do you not remember what your father did to you! Do you not remember that he banished you for a damned reason!" Kaida shouted at him, eyes glowing in anger and panic for the boy.

"What if we are caught, Prince Zuko?" Iroh's anger had all been taken care of with Kaida's words, so he spoke calmly. He noticed that her hand was still raised to slap him, once he turned around.

"My father will understand why I have returned. I am chasing the Avatar." Zuko stated dryly, ignoring the girl's comment about his scar. Kaida growled at the boy in front of her and brought her hand forward, as though she was going to slap him. Though Iroh caught her eye and shook his head. Growling in defeat, she turned away, eyes filled with hidden worry that she didn't want anyone to see right now.

"My brother is not the understanding type, Prince Zuko." Iroh stated dryly as Zuko turned to look between his uncle and Kaida. He shook his head quietly before turning back to the spyglass, moving it around slightly before he spotted his target.

"Helmsman! We have our heading! Push the ship to her full speeds!" He shouted up at the tower above him, lowering the spy glass and moving to dodge around Kaida, Iroh, and the guard to walk over to the middle of the ship. "Raise the catapults!" He shouted at the men who were on the deck. They quickly went below and Kaida chased after Zuko.

"Zuko. You're an idiot." She stated dryly, glaring at him with her arms crossed beneath her chest.

"Thanks, Kaida. I appreciate it." He replied, he noted that neither his uncle nor the guard had come to join them. Had Iroh had something to do with the sudden attention that Kaida put on him now? He grumbled curses about the old man under his breath as he waited for a rebuttal from the girl. Though she growled and shoved past him and stormed into the ship, leaving him standing there with quiet wonder as he stared after her. What the hell was wrong with her? He turned back to find Uncle Iroh in front of him, concern and anger in every line of the old man's face. Zuko rolled his eyes before he went to stand behind the point that the catapult would raise. A few seconds later, as if on cue, the machine arrived.

"You should go to Kaida, Zuko. She's upset."

"She'll be fine. Didn't the both of you tell me that she can take care of herself? Besides, it's probably better that she's below deck, anyway." There was silence responding the statements and Zuko watched his men load the projectile into the catapult.

"Ugh. Did you really have to get things to throw at them that smelled so bad?" The old man complained as he pulled a fan from his sleeve and fanned himself. Zuko ignored that and shot a blast of fire to the smoldering object and watched it burst into flame. Raising his arm, he waited for the right moment to give the signal.

"Ready. On my mark. Fire!" He shouted, the massive fireball flew through the air after the Avatar. However, the boy swerved his air bison out of the way just in time. Zuko cursed and then pulled his attention to what lay in front of them. Both eyes - good and bad - grew wide and he swallowed. The word 'blockade' escaped his lips in surprise. There was a double line of Fire Nation navy ships, keeping the way between Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation waters separate.

"You are still in Earth Kingdom waters, Prince Zuko. Turn back and you will not be arrested. They will be unable to do so." Though Zuko shook his head and walked back up to the head of the ship, the soldier and his uncle hot on his trail. His eyes were focused on the Avatar's bison, waiting for a movement from the twelve year old boy that would make Zuko's hunt turn the other direction.

"He's not turning around." There was a hint of dismay at his tone, though his words were strong.

"Please, Prince Zuko. If they capture you, neither Kaida and I can do nothing for you. Forget the Avatar!" Iroh urged, stepping forward closer to his nephew as the boy bowed his head and shook it slightly.

"I cannot turn away, Uncle. I'm sorry." He lifted his head and turned to the tower where the helmsman sat at the wheel. "Run the blockade!" He got a nod in response and that was all he really needed.

"At least tell Kaida what you are doing with your life." Iroh stated, following his nephew as Zuko made his way back to the middle of the ship to watch the blockade quietly. The prince shook his head.

"She shouldn't have anything to do with this. She stays below deck. If I tell her, she'll come out and she'll get hurt." Zuko stated, there was something protective in his tone that made Iroh stay planted where he was. So Zuko was worried for her safety, too.

They watched the firing of the giant fireballs, coming towards their ship but aimed for the flying bison. The ship rocked unsteadily from side to side, the fireballs hitting dangerously close to the ship in the water was not a good thing right now. Any second, that girl would be back up here and trying to get answers out of Zuko and try to dissuade him from his decision. The ship heaved as one of them hit to the immediate right of the ship, causing a large wave to crash down. Both Zuko and Iroh braced themselves on the catapult, eyes still hard and watching the blockade.

"Zuko! What the hell are you doing!" Came the enraged voice of the seventeen year old girl. She was on deck now. Zuko sighed and turned back to her just as one of the fire balls hit the back of the ship. She stumbled forward and fell onto the deck, though she had braced herself with her forearms and was now safely rolling to her side. She stood and ran to the catapult, grabbing on with a hand of her own. "What do you think you're doing? You're going to get killed!" She yelled, there were tears in her eyes and the prince couldn't stand looking at her like that. He turned back to the blockade before the engine master came to speak with him. Zuko turned his way, trying to ignore the pained face of Kaida beside him.

"What is it?"

"The engines are damaged. We need to stop and make repairs, sir!" The man's voice was urgent, but didn't deter Kaida from trying to get the attention of the prince back to her. He needed to listen to her. He had to. Though all of them knew that was not going to happen.

"No. We continue forward. Do not stop this ship." He ordered, turning back to the front and closing his eyes as his face passed in front of Kaida. That made her furious and she glared at him darkly, letting the tears overflow.

"Lady Kaida, you should go below deck." Iroh tried to reason with her but she shook her head solemnly, not trusting herself to speak. The Avatar had just gotten through the blockade and now the ships in front of them were moving closer together, intending to stop Zuko's ship at any and all costs.

"We're going to hit them." Kaida stated, not looking over to either Zuko or Iroh.

"We'll make it." Zuko's response was short and sure. Though it didn't do anything to make Kaida feel any better.

Though at the last second, the ships' engines cut with enough room left for the banished prince and his party to pass through. Zuko caught Zhao's gaze and held it with his own stare of defiance and determination. Kaida was not paying attention to anyone, she was keeping her face locked on what was going on ahead of her. She wasn't going to leave Zuko's side, but she wasn't about to let him off the hook and sink into his arms just because they had gotten through safely. And he was still here. Iroh stared after Zhao, confusion written across his face as he considered the meaning behind the Commander's actions.

They were alone in the water now, dark smoke billowing from the back of the ship quietly as they trudged along. Kaida, Iroh, and Zuko all stood on the deck of the ship. However, Kaida had separated herself from the men and stood at the opposite end of the deck, closer to the head of the ship rather than in the middle…like Iroh and Zuko did. Zuko gripped the railing tightly, his hand flexing as his thoughts ran through everything that had just occurred.

"Why didn't Zhao stop us, Uncle Iroh? Why didn't he arrest me? What's he doing?"

"He wants to follow you, Zuko." Kaida spoke for the first time in quite a while, her voice was full of pain that Zuko didn't quite understand.

"She's right, Prince Zuko. He knows that you will lead him to the ultimate prize. The Avatar." Iroh stated, eyes shifting between the teenagers quietly.

"If Zhao wants to follow our smoke, I will let him." He stated, letting go of the railing and moving to join Kaida at the prow of the boat. He strategically stepped wide and held his arms out - ready to grab her if she tried to leave and storm away again. Iroh backed up to the base of the tower deliberately, letting the two have the space they needed right now.

"You're an idiot, Zuko."

"So I've heard."

"You're going to get us all in trouble, do you realize that?" Kaida stated, turning her head the slightest toward him, watching him through the corners of her eyes. He didn't respond, so she continued on. "You're going to get yourself killed. And the rest of us are going to be either truly banished like you are now, or we're going to get thrown in prison." She saw his eyes widen and she turned away from him, keeping her distance quietly, waiting for an answer.

"Then leave. Leave now on the spare boats and never turn back. Find a place of -" He was cut off by the swirling motion she made to turn toward him. Her eyes were red and puffy and he felt guilty for making her cry. He wanted to hold her now, though he didn't. He kept his distance in silence.

"Don't you see, Zuko? I can't. I…" She didn't finish as she closed her mouth and ducked around him. Though he had been ready to grab her, he let her go. He turned back to his uncle as she went to join him. Zuko's plan unfolded as he instructed the men to open the back hatch and ready the secondary ship on board.

"Come with me, Uncle Iroh and Kaida. I need to talk to you." He stated, they exchanged glances before following orders and walking after him into the ship and down into the back hatch - where the spar ship was held.

"Uncle, keep heading north. The smoke will act as the lure for Zhao, but also my cover." Iroh shook his head disapprovingly and Kaida saw the flaw in the prince's plan. It couldn't possibly work. There was no way. She stood silently as she watched Zuko board the small vessel and then disappear into the black train of smoke that was following them. Sighing heavily, she turned back to Iroh.

"It isn't going to work, is it, Iroh?" She asked, worry and panic coating her voice now. He shook his head in response and Kaida turned away, suddenly angry, and stormed back onto the deck. How could she care so much about a stupid idiot?

--

A few hours after the sun had set, Zuko had found his way back to the ship again. Kaida was the first to spot him and she immediately raced down to where the ship would board without a word. Iroh followed silently, after seeing Zuko joining them again. There was a sad smile to his face.

"You idiot!" She screamed when he hopped off the ship and went to join his uncle and old friend. All he did was glare at her silently and shove past the others.

"I failed. Don't rub it in." He stated dryly, eyeing her reaction quietly. She had known it was going to happen and yet she hadn't tried to stop him. Oh wait…she had, hadn't she? He grumbled to himself as he made his way back to his cabin, head hung in defeat. Kaida stared after him, not knowing what to say or do. She got a shove from behind by Iroh.

"Go to him, Kaida." Iroh stated. She glared at him for a second, tired of his sad attempts to get the pair of teenagers together. But after a few seconds, she realized she was right. She nodded sternly and swiftly made her way up to where his cabin was. He had locked himself inside. Sighing she knocked on the door and waited for the rejection she knew she was going to receive. However, to her surprise, the door opened and she was ushered in by the prince, pulled along by her good arm.

"I'm sorry, Zuko." She stated after he had closed the door, though he shook his head and went to sit down on the edge of his bed.

"No, Kaida. I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

"But you didn't. You never really have." He gave a shrug to that development.

"You didn't seem to give the best advice at the time."

"I never do." She stated, moving to go sit beside him on his bed, looking forward at the wall opposite them rather than at the boy beside her.

"I'm sorry you've worried about me so much."

"I'm sorry you worry about me needlessly." He smirked and she rolled her eyes, nudging her with an elbow as he looked over at her.

"I'm not." There was a pause as he watched her, seeing the slight tint to her skin that indicated a blush and she quickly hid behind her long hair. "What were you going to say before, Kaida?" That pulled her out of her embarrassed little hiding spot and she turned to him, her eyes shining quietly.

"I couldn't possibly leave you."

"I'm sorry you can't leave."

"I'm not."