Chapter 10

"Ya gonna have to get off."

"Why?" Toph couldn't tell how large the captain was, but from the height of his voice vibrations, she imagined he was rather large.

"We got some secretive things to get done. You and yours need to get off."

"What, and swim?" Toph put her hands on her hips.

"We will give you a boat."

"This is great."

"Now is really not the time for complaining, Aang." Toph said testily. "Is it just me, or am I feeling water on my toes?"

"I thought you said now wasn't the time for complaining." She could hear Sokka's smirk.

"I'm serious! Are we going to drown?"

"Ah, that is quite a bit of water . . ." Aang's voice was nervous.

"What happened to that water gene, eh Aang?" Toph was definitely grateful for the return of happy Sokka, but she wished he could save it for when they landed. Everything in her wanted to scream and cry at the same time. The rowboat rocked, and Toph gripped the sides again until her fingers hurt.

"Toph, I grew up on the water. Relax."

"Well I didn't." Toph muttered under her breath. She wasn't really nervous until Aang's voice took on the high-pitched tone that screamed danger.

"I'm having problems controlling these molecules . . ."

"Just freeze the bottom of the boat, Aang!"

"I might mess it up . . ."

"Did you learn nothing from Katara?"

Aang apparently tried to turn the molecules of water into ice, judging by the cold touching her feet, but a horrible crack ripped one side of the boat out of Toph's reach, sending her plunging into the ocean. Screams from her only led to more swallowed water, and Toph desisted, still thrashing, but sinking as she did so. Panic surrounded her, just as the water did. It seemed forever. Sinking, drowning . . . she didn't want to die-Don't let me die, Toph . . . save them-She couldn't cry . . . the ocean was doing it for her. Toph lost consciousness.

"Toph, come back."

"Aang, try and pull some of that water out."

"I might hurt her."

"Just do it!"

She could feel the liquid sliding through her, and she retched, trying to lose that feeling.

"There she goes . . ." Strong hands turned her over, and Toph clutched the ground, violently throwing up.

"Where are we?" Toph gasped.

"We are in the old New York." Aang replied. A hand moved soothingly over her back, and Toph sighed. She sat up.

"What's the plan?"

Sokka's voice responded, "At the moment, we need to find somewhere to hide. The ol' USA is notorious for people who are less-than desirable to meet right now.

"Mmm." Toph slowly stood. "Let's go."

When she flopped down on the bed, puffs of dust flew into the air. Toph wiggled happily in her element.

"Toph, that's just . . . ugh."

"I'm not sleeping on that." Aang said. Toph could even sense his nose wrinkling because of the amount of dust.

"Well, I bet the ground is even dirtier." Sokka commented. "I just wouldn't trust those sheets."

"Do we have any food packs left?"

Toph rubbed her stomach. "Please tell me yes."

"That, and I found us something special."

Something was in Sokka's hand. Toph waited.

"Whatever hotel this was, there were kitchens, and I happened to find these."

"Ooooh yum!" Aang exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"Open up, Toph." She complied. Something sweet and-amazing . . .

"Oh wow . . ."

"I haven't had chocolate since before I was frozen!" Aang sounded so happy.

That stopped Toph for a moment. What would it have been like to have things like chocolate, and friends, and plants? How could Aang always be so happy, with the memories of such a time, and having lost it all . . .

"Do you remember anything from being frozen?" Sokka said with his usual tact.

"No. It's all black." Toph felt Aang's frown in his voice.

"We should sleep, guys."

"Yeah."

Toph woke up in a cold sweat. Something wet was trailing down her cheeks. Toph shuddered, sitting up and hugging her own knees.

"Toph?"

She froze. Darkness was all she knew, and especially now, all she wanted was know what was around her. She could just picture Katara, bleeding, dead, standing above her, accusing . . .

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sokka. Just a bad dream."

"Me too."

"Good night."

"Toph, you want to talk about it?"

"No. I'm fine. I'm just fine."

"Okay, Toph. Okay. You know I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Sokka."

"Zuko!" Katara ran up, tackling him with a hug. She stood back in an afterthought, embarrassed. "Hi."

"Hi to you too." Zuko's bemused smirk made Katara smile as well.

"What's the plan for tonight?"

"How do you feel about the Great Wall?"

"You know that's off-limits."

"Trust me."

Katara felt a tingling in the pit of her stomach. She adjusted her mouth-covering and looked over at her similarly masked partner.

"Having fun?" She whispered.

"As always." She heard back. Katara smiled and moved to barely lean against him. He responded with a light arm around her shoulders. "This way." He climbed first, using the large grooves in the old rock to make his way up. Katara looked up dubiously. She followed him, holding her breath. Three-fourths of the way up, she did the worse thing possible-look down. Zuko hadn't looked back, but Katara couldn't move.

"Zuko." She whispered, but he still didn't look back. Katara felt her fingers tightening, stiffening in the cracks. Zuko was at the top. He vaulted over the side, then finally looked back-please help me-his gasp audible from even that high.

"Katara! Just keep climbing, you can do it!"

"Zuko . . . I can't." Her voice broke. She reached desperately for the next stone, but instead of getting farther, her feet slipped, and she was left dangling. She lost track of Zuko in those terrifying seconds.

"Katara." Somehow, he was next to her. Katara saw the rope and understood, but still couldn't move. "Trust me." His hand was reaching out. Katara stared into his eyes for a long moment, but then gave him her left hand. He pulled her in close and they finished climbing together. They perched on the top of the wall, Katara shivering.

"You're okay, I've got you."

"Where are all the guards?" Katara tried to ignore her failure.

"No one can get up, so why guard the top?" Zuko said.

"Oh." Katara hesitated. "I have to tell you something."

"What?" Zuko pulled down his mouth-covering.

"We're leaving tomorrow."

"What!" Zuko practically shrieked, so Katara slapped her hand across his mouth.

"Shh! I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I was just scared! I just . . . I'm going to miss you."

"Katara . . . why?'

"There's something important . . . look you can't tell anyone, but all of the people resisting the Fire mutants are planning to finally go on the offensive."

"Oh. And you're involved? Will you get hurt?"

"Is that concern?" Katara tried to smirk, but Zuko suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. When he drew back and kissed her, Katara couldn't say it was unexpected, but she was surprised nonetheless.

"I don't want you to go."

"Feeling more talkative now, Katara?"

Katara took gasping breaths after she was allowed to raise her head from the water. It would be ironic if she died of drowning. Before she could really take enough breaths her head was plunged downward again, an iron grip keeping it in place. She tried to keep calm and save her breath, but it was too difficult with the panic rising in her. It came to the point where she breathed in half a mouthful of water before her head was allowed to rise. Everything seemed dim, and Katara's eyes rolled back into her head. Zuko's furious face was right in front of her eyes, and she tried to focus.

"Like that, did you, Water mutant?"

"You're such a gentleman." She finally choked out. "Always showing a girl the best time."

"Well, I thought you'd like your own element for a change, instead of fire." It was suddenly blazing before her eyes, and Katara flinched back. "But maybe not? Actually, I had a new idea for you . . . have you ever been branded before? I've heard it's like being burned, just more permanent."

Katara didn't answer. He moved away, over to some of the metal tools he had brought. She couldn't help the trembling in her limbs. She was so tired. It would be easy to just slip into the black right now . . .

"This is for all the lies you told me. This mark means you are mine, and that you will never hurt me again."

Pain. Aang, Sokka, Toph . . . they would hear her screams, wherever they were. If they were alive. If they remembered her. Sokka . . . you were right, I should've been more careful . . .

"Will I ever see you again?"

"I don't know." Katara couldn't meet his sad eyes. "It could be months."

"What if I came with you?"

"Would you?" She lifted her head, excitement in her voice. Zuko's face was too thoughtful, and eventually fell.

"I don't know if I could . . . the temptation of Aang being right there . . ."

"I understand." Katara averted her eyes yet again.

"I am going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too."

Katara woke up with an awful smell in her nose. She coughed, shuddering. There was a horrible burning on the side of her thigh.

Then it hit her. She could feel the blood. Not just feel it dripping out of her, she could feel it. She could control water once more. Either someone was deliberately giving her a chance to escape, or it was an accident. In any case, Katara finally had a reason to hope.

"For freedom, we must be strong." She whispered to the dark of the cell.

A/N: Thank you guys for the reviews! They are encouraging and helpful . . . glad to know someone's out there reading this :)