A/N: I would greatly appreciate it if you guys would leave reviews regarding the smut && the story line. I know it sounds confusing now as it unravels; I tend to write whatever comes to mind, I don't think these things out lol. Tell me what you'd like to see or your predictions and I might just take your ideas and use them ;) I also had an idea for the epilogue at the end once I'm done. It's sort of a competition. I'll put the info at the end of the chapter. Enjoy the reading!

Chapter 10

Katara and Shyu stared as Mai and Zuko let out lengthy moans, their sweat glistening bodies rubbing against each other as they simultaneously came to orgasms.

Katara let silent tears stream down her face as Shyu pulled her out of the room and led her down the hall, stopping in front of a door.

He had begun to talk but Katara wasn't present, her mind going over what she'd seen. The way Mai layed her head on his chest, the same way he did to her. The way he ran one hand through her hair, and the other one caressing her back. Katara let out a sad sob and blinked slowly, bringing herself back to the present moment. She looked up the guard and saw he was still speaking.

"-so sorry, Lady Katara... But... would you like to?" The guard looked down at her. He was almost twice her size. Katara searched his blue eyes, ones that seemed to match hers and frowned. They looked so familiar.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat what you said? -A sob escaped her throat- I... I didn't hear you." She wiped away a few more tears.

Shyu frowned sadly and continued, "I do not know how you may have felt seeing your... master... with another woman, and this situation must be hard for you. There are special quarters for the more important people and you could always stay there... or... with me..." He blushed a little at the last part, but continued, "only if you want to of course... Im so sorry, Lady Katara... But would you like to stay with me... or at the quarters?" He was looking at his feet now.

Katara smiled, realizing she didn't even know his name. "What is your name, guard?"

His eyes widened in surprise but he quickly shook it off, "My... My name is.. Shyu..."

"Shyu? ... Hmmm." The name also sounded familiar.

"Well, Shyu, I appreciate your offer but I think I'm just going to stay in the quarters for the night. Please don't tell anyone I'm here?" She smiled up at him.

"Of course, but you do know that if Prince Zuko or Lord Ozai ask, I am obligated to, right?" He frowned a bit, but Katara smiled at the way he didn't mention Azula.

"Yes, I understand. Go get some sleep Shyu, you need it. Thank you for being here for me... and helping me." She smiled, her eyes watering at the only friend she had.

Shyu nodded and smiled, opening the door they had been standing in front of and letting Katara in.

Katara stood at the entrance and flicked on the lights, peering into the medium size room. It had a queen sized bed in the center, a wooden night table at each side and two doors, each on either side of the room. Katara assumed it was the bathroom and closet. She sighed at the light orange paint on the walls and the red sheets.

Fire benders are so obsessed with these... ugly colors. She frowned and walked farther into the room, noticing a book shelf standing next to a small desk with a half burnt candle. She smiled and turned to Shyu, who had been watching her every move, hoping she'd liked the room he prepared for her when she was in the infirmary.

He had seen pacing in front of the door when he went back to report that he had taken Katara; a slight breeze had lifted Mai's robe and he saw she was completely naked. He had shaken his head, sighing in disappointment. He knew Zuko enough to know he would never turn down an offer to explore Mai's body; his long time crush. He told a home slave to set a room up for himself-but actually for Katara-, and sent another guard to his post. He hoped Mai had been gone or that Zuko had turned her down when he walked back with Katara, who insisted on going back. He was wrong.

"Shyu?" Katara practically whispered.

Shyu shook his head, "Yes, Lady Katara?"

"Thank you." She smiled. He nodded and walked out.

He shut the door and turned his back to it. He planned on guarding her room for the night being. He leaned against the door and sighed, knowing she would find out at some point, and smiled. He smiled because he had finally found her.

Zuko had one hand draped across Mai's back, the other in her inky black hair. They had shifted to the bed, Mai deciding to stay laying on him. He stroked her silky hair as she hummed in her sleep. But Zuko couldn't sleep. He knew what he had done.

I can't tell Katara... I can never tell her... He sighed and clenched his fist in Mai's hair, causing her to stir in her sleep as he pulled at the hairs trapped in his fist. He released his grip and frowned down at the girl on him.

Why did I do this... Why didn't I stop her... He had had a crush on her since they were little, they even dated for a while.

They broke up when Zuko started taking every random house slave he could to bed. She had found it gross and womanizing, he knew because she told him. A few months after his seventeenth birthday, he had stopped his little sex tirade and Mai had noticed. Her crush started up again and she started to flirt with him whenever she could, Ty Lee being her wing man and Azula occasionally helping when she felt in the mood to. She took tonight as her chance, deciding that she had to stop him from using the sex slave he bought. Though she knew he did it out of hate for the little girl who got away from him at Ba Sing Se. She wanted to be his sex slave.

Zuko sighed and clenched his jaw, trying to get the image of the sex out of his head. But it was difficult with Mai being on him. He suddenly jolted as he remembered Katara again.

What if she wakes up and comes back and sees Mai... What will she think?! He sat up and shook Mai.

"Hmm?" Her eyes fluttered open and a yawn escaped her lips. She looked around and peered up at Zuko, a small smile on her lips.

"Hey, lover." Her voice deep with lust.

Zuko grimaced, "You need to leave."

Mai sat up and frowned at him. "Why?"

"Be-because... My guard will be back with Katara and I will have to do a physical check on her to make sure she is in good condition. You must leave... So you can get some sleep. The physicals take hours on end." He mumbled on.

Mai smiled at him, "Oh baby, its fine. I can sleep through the physical. Just... Just tell her to go to the slaves quarters when you're done." She plopped her head back down and closed her eyes, ready for sleep.

Zuko bit his lip in frustration, trying his best not to chew her out for calling Katara a slave, but he knew better. He knew there was someone watching there every move. He had to play it out like she doesn't matter.

"Okay Mai.." He laid back down, pulling her close. She nuzzled into his neck and purred in happiness. She fell asleep quickly, murmuring lightly in her sleep. While Zuko stared at the ceiling the entire night, hoping to the heavens that Katara wouldn't come back during the night, that he wouldn't have to treat her like a slave for show. He had been cradling Mai the entire night but he felt empty.

Katara sat on the edge of the red covered bed, stroking the silky sheets. Her tear slipped and hit the covers, a dark spot appearing. Katara slipped under the covers and laid back, pulling them up to her neck. She closed her eyes and counted sheep in her mind, letting herself drift into sleep.

The screams were empty, just bubbles of air escaping her plump lips. Those foreign hands hand her by the throat again, squeezing the life from her, breath by breath. The lights on the vanity were blinding this time, like the bulbs were being fueled by a power plant just for them. Her eyes started to burn, along with her throat. Colorful spots appeared in the air around her, she was about to die. She gathered the last bit of power she had and looked into the mirror, into the face of the laughter. The laughter that mocked her murder. Knowing she'd Ozai again, she looked with anger, not showing a bit of weakness. But these eyes were not the murderous ones that belonged to Ozai. They were the cold eyes of Zuko.

But the nightmare didn't end there. Katara saw the eyes of the man she thought she might love, and knew the hands that took her life belonged to him. Katara closed her eyes, ready to just let go. A warm gust of air brushed her ear, it carried words with it. I love you... I'm sorry... Katara let the tears she held back stream down her face as the hands tightened at her throat. Every time he said the words, the hands tightened, until Katara felt herself fall into the black abyss that was her life.

Katara's eyes flew open again, her hands scratching at her throat. She swallowed deep gulps of air. She took and ran to the bathroom, inspecting her neck. There were scratches running from under neck to her chest. Katara's eyes were swollen, along with her nose and lips. Her head was light and felt like was walking on air. She ran to the door to look for Shyu, but collapsed before she could reach the door. Her body hit the floor with a loud thump. Katara's world had gone black like in her dream, and this time, she was ready to let go.

Competition!

Hello there ladies and gents,

I'm here for a challenge. If you would like me to take your writing and incorporate it (exactly as you want) into the story as part of the epilogue, then write a brief part of what you would write and PM it to me. The winner (or maybe even winners) will be given direct recognition in the description summary, the chapter (as an A/N) and on Tumblr. If you have any of your own stories, I will choose my favorite and promo it on my fanfiction review Tumblr. Depending on the epilogue, there might be a sequel (wink wink), which you will help me right the summary and first chapter to. Winners will be chosen based on their writing quality, and how well the short summary captures readers.

Good Luck!

-I need more than 5 people to participate for the competition to actually happen. Details will be placed once I have more than 5 people entered.