"Katara! Stop! KATARA!"

Makoto's calls barely reached my ears. I only heard the woman calling out for her baby. It took my head a moment to process what was happening, but after seeing her husband and daughter join her safely, while she was still desperately screaming at the house, it clicked. There was someone else in there, and I didn't even give it a second thought. My body had acted on its own.

Now, I was paying the consequences.

I couldn't see anything. There was smoke everywhere: it burned my throat, made my eyes water, and constricted my lungs, sending me into coughing fits. I definitely didn't think this through.

"Hello? Is anyone else in here?" I called out into the smoke-filled room ahead of me. I tripped over a wooden board that had lifted and crash-fell into the staircase, burning my arm in the process. I sucked in a hiss as pain seared through my forearm, a large red welt already forming beneath the singed fabric of my uniform. I cradled it against my chest as I made my way up the stairs, calling out until I made it to the landing.

I could hear some noise at the end of the hallway, something that sounded like a child's cry and my body acted on its own again. I ran forward through the haze, one hand covering my mouth, the other flailing blindly in front of me until I made it to a door.

Swinging it open, I found myself in a small room overtaken by fire, a wooden crib in the corner still safe from the encroaching flames. I weaved my way through narrow spaces between patches of fire and dashed to the crib where I took a breath of relief. The baby was alright–crying, but alright. I scooped him up carefully, trying to avoid putting too much pressure on my burned arm, and cradled him against my chest with one hand over his face as protection from falling debris.

I turned around to leave the room, but was greeted by an orange wall of heat. The fire was getting bigger, and if I didn't get out of there now, I wouldn't be able to get this baby to his mother. If only I had some kind of water, I could make a path. I looked around the room, but there didn't seem to be a drop in sight.

There was only fire, and I started to panic.

Large cracks sounded all around me, the floorboards splitting in half like toothpicks under the heat of the flames. I felt the floor go weak beneath me, and heard a large crack. I tried to step away, but I couldn't move. I tried not to succumb to the terror, but it was a fruitless effort. In every direction I stepped, there was fire. Another crack formed in the floorboards beneath my feet. I closed my eyes and held the baby close to my chest as he cried in the way I wanted to.

I'm so sorry, Dad, Sokka. I couldn't do it. But how was I supposed to? How could I have saved you if I couldn't even save this baby-

"KATARA!"

Huh? Is this what it's like when spirits call you to death? I thought they'd be calmer, happier. Maybe I just got the short end of the stick and ended up being welcomed by the Hei Bai.

"KATARA, MOVE!" the Spirit commanded me again. And then something slammed into me with so much force that the wind was knocked from my lungs. I went crashing to the floor, expecting to break a few ribs in the process, but it wasn't painful. Armored arms were caged around me and the baby, a hand covering my face in a similar fashion to what I was doing to the child.

"Open your eyes! We have to get out of here!" Zuko's voice boomed into my ears as my eyes snapped open to find his eyes frantically trained on my face. I knew my expression mirrored his, but words failed me and I could only nod. The first emotion I registered was surprise, and then relief. I wasn't alone anymore; he'd come to help me.

He pulled me to my feet, carefully but with enough force to get me in motion. We looked around for an opening, and luck didn't seem to be with us.

"There," he called out, pointing at the doorway which, I will so kindly mention, was consumed by flames.

"Zuko, we're not going to make-," I started but he pulled me after him, dodging holes in the floor and falling debris. When we got closer to the doorway, I started to yell for him to stop. Then, just as I was convinced he was forcing us into a triple suicide, he swiped his hand out and the flames covering the doorway had widened enough for us to jump through safely to the hallway.

Huh, I forgot he was a firebender.

"Let's go!" he yelled over his shoulder as I lagged behind. I'd been in the house for a while now breathing in the smoke and fumes. I could feel my consciousness slipping from my grasp as I tried to watch Zuko ahead of me lead the way. A cough racked through my chest, and suddenly it was like I couldn't get enough air.

I was vaguely aware of Zuko pulling me against his side, one arm winding around my waist as he told me to keep my hold on the baby. His other arm swept out in front of us, making a pathway through the angry flames. When we reached the staircase, my body started to shut down. It was like someone had flipped a switch, and I'd no longer had control over my legs.

My knees gave out and Zuko tightened his grip on my waist, his arm the only thing keeping me from landing in a heap on the floor. Something swept my legs out from underneath my body, making me feel airborn for a moment. I tried to concentrate on where I was, and what was happening. Zuko was carrying me, and I'd somehow managed to keep my hold on the baby.

I could hear Zuko's voice over the roar of the fire, telling me to stay awake and to look him in the eyes. And no Katara, don't fall asleep, keep looking at him. I wanted to whine that it was too hard, and that letting sleep come to me would be easier, but it felt like someone had stuffed a wad of cotton down my throat. I tried to speak, but ended up coughing violently.

Focus on his eyes, Katara. Focus.

I'm trying, I wanted to tell that little voice in the back of my mind. My eyes started to close again and this time, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop them. I kept my focus on his golden eyes as they searched for a way out of the house, the orange flames reflecting back at me from his irises. They met my hooded gaze, and suddenly they looked alarmed.

"Stay awake, damn it! Katara, do you hear me? Stay awake!"

"I'm fine," I mumbled through coughs before my eyes shut and my head lolled back. I wasn't completely unconscious, but staying in a constant state of awareness wasn't on my to-do list. Instead, acting like a sack of potatoes seemed to suit my tastes a bit more.

I didn't exactly see us exit the house, but I felt the sudden change in atmosphere: the air was lighter and I didn't cough each time I sucked a shaky breath in. It felt cleaner, no longer stinging my eyes with smoke. But what really cued me in were the hands. They were everywhere: taking the baby from my arms, carrying me from place to place, rubbing wet rags across my face and dripping water into my mouth. I wanted to swat them away, tell them to stop touching me, please. I could take care of myself.

But my body was doing the whole "sack of potatoes" thing so I couldn't exactly fend them off.

Another fit of coughs burst through my lips as frantic conversations were bounced back and forth above me.

"Is she conscious?" I could tell this was Makoto.

"I think so, but she's not responding. Where's everyone else?" And this had to be Zuko. I could feel his voice reverberate through his body as my cheek rested against the chest-piece of his armor.

"They're helping out other civilians. Did you give her any water?" It sounded like Lieutenant Jin.

"Yes, but she's not taking it. I think she might be in some sort of shock."

I didn't want to admit it, but Zuko was right. Something had happened back in the baby's room. I'd been too overwhelmed by the power of the fire, too scared to do anything. I gave up, and I could tell Zuko knew from the tone of his voice. I'd been weak; weak in the face of my opposing element, something no bender should ever be.

They continued talking over me, updating Zuko on the situation surrounding us. Apparently, the rest of our Task Force group had jumped into action after Zuko followed me into the house, helping nearby people get out safely from their own burning homes. Lieutenant Jin and Makoto took off to help on Zuko's word just as I started to feel myself come to.

I heard Zuko sigh and mutter an "idiot" as he inspected the burn on my forearm.

"That's not very nice, Your Highness," I mumbled into his armor as I opened my eyes. The sunlight was bright, but it was nothing compared to the relief in his eyes. He helped me get to my feet, careful not to touch my burn, and immediately let go of me and took a step back once I was able to hold myself up.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked Zuko as I looked around the village. Things were still chaotic, but nowhere near as bad as they were before. A lot of the fires had burned out, leaving charred homes in their wake. More families were gathered in the street, soothing crying children or mourning their lost loved ones.

"They're helping out around the village," he paused and looked me in the eye. "On my order."

I was instantly angry. "If you thought I was going to just walk away from what I saw you must be bat-shit crazy," I snapped. Snapping at the Fire Lord was not exactly a good idea. I could see the flare of his nostrils; I was testing his temper.

"You disregarded my orders," his voice lowered, and I had to fight the urge to shrink back. "I should suspend you from the rest of the mission, but because it's your first, I'll cut you some slack. Next time you ignore my instructions, the consequences will be more severe. I promise you that."

I felt my face heat in embarrassment from his reprimand. If I had a tail it would be tucked neatly between my legs. "I'm sorry," I apologized with my eyes glued to the ground.

He sighed, something I noticed he did a lot of in my presence, before speaking again. "It's alright. Just don't do it again."

"Excuse me?" We both turned to the voice that had sounded from behind me. It was the baby's mother, the young woman who had been screaming before. She bowed at Zuko and then bowed to me as well. "I just wanted to thank the both of you for saving my baby. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't run into the house."

"I'm glad we could help," I told her with a smile.

"Your Highness!" Lieutenant Jin called as he jogged up to us. "There's a, uh," his eyes flicked toward the young woman and me, "situation that needs your attention." Recognition dawned over Zuko's face.

He turned to the young woman and me. "Please excuse me ladies," he said before turning and joining Lieutenant Jin. I watched their figures disappear between two buildings, heads bent toward each other in what seemed like an intense conversation. Maybe I should go after them. I turned back to the young woman to excuse myself, but she was watching me, wide-eyed, like I'd suddenly grown two extra heads.

"It's you, isn't it?" she asked, her voice so low it was barely a whisper. My stomach dropped and my mouth suddenly went dry.

"What?" I breathed out, my expression mirroring hers now.

"You're the water tribe girl."

My entire body went rigid at her words.

"I don't know what you're talking about-" I started shaking my head and stepping away from her.

She stepped forward and grabbed my arm. "I won't tell anyone! I promise. Those who are part of the uprising have contact with the Earth Kingdom. We've heard rumors. About you. Most of us didn't believe them. A water tribe girl infiltrating the Fire Nation? It seemed unrealistic. I didn't believe the rumors…until now."

I looked at her warily. I didn't know if I could trust her. She could have been sent to get information out of me, reveal me-

"I know you probably don't believe me," she continued, her eyes flickering over my shoulder. "But you have an ally in us. If you ever need help sending a message out to your people, we can help." She slipped a small piece of parchment into my hand and kept her grip on it as she spoke to me. "You've started something, spurred dreams in the oppressed after losing them so long ago. What you're doing isn't just for your people anymore. It's for us too."

Okay, no pressure or anything.

But as I met her gaze and felt the desperate grip of her hand over my own, I knew she was telling me the truth. These people have suffered for too long under Fire Nation rule, and whether I liked it or not, what she said was true. Maybe I hadn't started this whole uprising, but what I was doing wouldn't only affect the Water Tribe in the end.

I gave her a firm nod and squeezed her hand before answering in a hushed tone. "Alright, I'm trusting you. I'll be sending two letters to you within the month. One will have directions for you and questions that maybe you can answer, and the other I'll need sent to the North Pole."

She nodded eagerly in response and then released her grip on my hand, only to step forward and wrap her arms around me in a hasty hug. I cringed a bit when she got too close to the burn on my arm, but gingerly wrapped my good arm around her in return.

"Thank you. For saving my baby, and now this too." She pulled back and held me at arms length. "You've given us something to hope for again…"

"Katara."

"Your name is going to go down in history as a hero, Katara." She beamed at me brightly, a smile so full of promise that I felt a similar one stretch across my face. I tried to ignore the gut-clenching feeling in the pit of my stomach, and the nagging voice in the back of my mind.

You know the truth, Katara. You won't only be known as a hero.

You'll be a traitor too.

By the time the fires had burned out, it was sunset and Zuko had yet to address the village directly. A small, makeshift stage stood in the center of the charred village, somewhat singed by the fire, but still stable enough to be used. We led Zuko through the crowd, scanning the large throng of people for any signs of threats. So far so good, but I knew that as much as I was watching them, they were watching me too.

Whispers followed in our midst, and I could see heads bobbing above the mass. Word had spread fast among the villagers, and in my wake I could hear the hushed whispers.

"That's her."

A pause, I could only assume, to make sure no one would hear.

"The water tribe girl."

The more people knew, the more anxious I became. If they weren't more discreet, I'd have to hop the next boat off this island.

We followed Zuko and Iroh onto the stage and stood in formation around them, leaving only Zuko's front open as he addressed the crowd. He peered out at the faces watching him and took a deep breath.

"I know that most of you despise the Fire Nation, and myself, but that doesn't mean that you must burn down your village to make it known. I understand that you're suffering, but I can guarantee you that as much as you hate this war, I hate it ten times more. There is nothing I want more than to put an end to it, but it will take time. Things don't end overnight, especially not a war that has lasted for over one hundred years. My council is hesitant to accept my request to pull back our forces, but I will fight for it. For you all, and for my own people."

He paused for a few breaths before continuing.

"But if we see another demonstration like this one you held today, we will enforce stricter rules. I am trying to be as liberal as I can with you, but your behavior may affect my generous decision. Remember that there are only a small number of you, but a great number of us."

With that, Zuko had concluded his speech and was stepping around us to leave the stage. If I weren't nudged by Ryou, I would have been frozen to that spot all day. Zuko's speech couldn't have lasted more than two minutes, maybe three, but he'd completely awed the crowd and myself included. What amazed me the most was that Zuko said he wanted to put an end to the war. As the Fire Nation leader, I'd assumed that he was more than eager to take on his father's position as the war lord, but it seemed that I made a one-sided conclusion.

The crowd was eerily silent as we descended from the stage, watching Zuko's every movement. I couldn't blame them: he'd completely taken charge, being fair but intimidating at the same time.

I heard a few gasps sound around the crowd as a small girl pushed her way through the maze of legs. She was clutching a small doll dressed in a red cloth, and once she had gotten past the edge of the crowd, she scurried toward Zuko. A woman half-whispered, half-yelled her name from the edge of the crowd, calling her back with a terrified expression on her face.

But the little girl had already reached Zuko, who put a hand up to dismiss us when we all stepped forward protectively. He knelt down on one knee in front of the girl as everyone watched with anxious eyes, gauging his reaction to the scrawny child.

"Can I help you, my lady?" he asked the dark-haired girl, leaning his head down a bit to meet her eye level. She peered back at him with bright eyes and smiled at Zuko's endearment.

"I want the war to end too," she said clearly and held her small doll out to him. Zuko looked at the dirty doll, surprised at the child's peace offering. When he recovered, he took it with one hand and held the small girl's with his other, a tender smile tugging at his lips.

"I'll do what I can," he told her, and she beamed back at him with a smile that could only be described as hopeful.

I was back at the ship in my room when I finally gave my arm some well-needed medical attention.

I hissed in a breath as I pulled the fabric of my uniform away from the burn on my forearm. I sucked it up all day, but now that I was alone, I let myself feel the pain. The welt had gotten very red, and the pain had become excrutiating after not being treated for a few hours. I pulled a bucket filled with water toward my feet as I sat on the cot, the water sloshing onto the floor from my clumsy one-armed movements.

I dipped a small rag into the bucket and gingerly dabbed at the welt, sucking in a sharp breath each time the cloth came in contact with my skin. After a minute of that, I decided that touching it wasn't exactly a good idea right now, so I soaked the cloth in water again and let it drip over the welt. I bit my lip to keep myself from crying out as the water pounded against my skin, feeling exasperated and a lot of pain.

I threw the rag back into the bucket, giving up. I watched the water tip from side to side in the bucket.

And then I had an idea.

I scuttled over to the door, turned the lever until I heard the lock creak into place, and then dashed back toward the bucket.

Okay. I can just use my healing abilities to get rid of the pain. I won't heal it completely. This can work.

I hovered my hand over the water, feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline. It had been so long since I'd bent. I'd missed it terribly, and had to keep myself on a strict leash so I wouldn't be tempted to bend every drop of water in sight. But now I had logical reason to bend. My palm itched to pull the water toward me. I stole a nervous glance over my shoulder.

It's locked. No one can come in.

I turned back to the bucket and took a deep breath in.

My hand pulled up and I watched the thin column of water grow until it reached my palm, relishing in the feeling of control again. The water covered my hand now and I concentrated on feeling the movement of the water against my hand, watching as it began to emit a dim silver glow. I moved my hand to my forearm, sucking in another quick breath at the contact. As I moved the water over my arm, I focused on ridding myself of the pain, not healing the burn.

The pain started to subside, and I closed my eyes in relief, continuing to move my hand in rhythmic circles. When I opened them, I lost my control over the water and it splashed to the floor at my feet.

No.

No, no, no, no.

I brushed my hand over my newly healed skin, shaking my head as my heartbeat picked up. I'd lost myself so deeply in the relief that I'd accidentally healed the burn.

What have I done?

This couldn't be happening. Zuko had seen the burn earlier today. Almost everyone on the squad had already seen the burn, and I'd just healed it!

I hastily covered the healed skin with a cloth before unlocking my door and peering out into the hallway. I braced myself on the threshold as the ship rocked back and forth, checking both directions before sprinting down to the right.

I made my way through the ship to the weapons room, trying not to look as nervous as I felt. As soon as I reached my destination, I threw the door shut behind me and ran to the back of the room, desperately searching the cabinets for medical supplies. I needed to cover the healed burn somehow, and I knew they kept some gauze strips around here somewhere. I opened at least three cabinets before I started to lose hope, but then at the fourth, I found what I needed.

I quickly wrapped my forearm in the gauze, a pretty messy job, but it would do for now. I just needed to hide it from-

"Do you need any help?"

I shrieked and spun around, gripping the counter behind me for support. I clutched at my heart, which had nearly jumped out of my chest, as I tried to catch my breath.

I grabbed at the messy strips of fabric clinging to my arm in an attempt to hide what I'd done and looked up to see who had made me nearly jump out of my skin.

Zuko.

If the terror wasn't evident on my face before, it had to be now.

He was carrying a set of swords and some armor, which meant he was probably just here to put away a few things, and not because I was here. He rested the armor on a hook on the wall near his shoulder and turned back to me.

"Katara-," he started, but I didn't give him a chance. I snatched a first aid kit off the counter and brushed past him, but he got a grip on my upper arm and spun me to face him. He set down the swords he had in his hand and pulled my bad arm toward him, carefully inspecting the wrappings that were supposed to cover my burn. I felt my breathing pick up.

"You did a pretty crappy job," he said lightly twisting my arm this way and that, but when he tried to rearrange them, I yanked my arm from his grip and took a step back. He looked a little hurt, but more confused, I think. "Let me wrap that for you."

"No, I'm fine," I said in a rush. There was no way he was getting anywhere near my arm again.

"Katara-"

"I said I'm fine."

And then I bolted from the room.

A/N: Okay, so here is chapter 12! And some of you were right in your predictions, some were wrong...But does that mean that Katara won't get caught water bending later on?

Yeah I pretty much suck with updates. I had this chapter written for about a week and a half but I just never got around to editing it. So here you go! Hopefully it was worth the wait and I'll try my best to get chapter 13 out soon! it's a pretty crucial point in the story so I hope you'll stay tuned :)

Leave any comments or predictions, or even things you'd like to see happen! Maybe I'll incorporate them into the story if I can. And I may not always say thank you for your feedback, but I'm really thankful. So thank you. Your reviews really push me to write more and more and your criticisms help me pace the story to your liking! So if you have and criticisms, whether good or bad, please feel free to leave me a review or PM me!