A/N:

WARNING there is SMUT in this chapter so yeah, I know I don't use these warnings much anymore but I figure the M rating and Pairing would make itself explanatory. Well, hope you guys enjoy with chapter!

Chapter 12:

"Here, pour us a glass, girly," Po said as he lounged on one of the cushions of the waterbender's room with two of his closest comrades.

Katara, stripped to only her white lace underwear, pour her captors some wine as they held out their glasses. She was anything but herself. A lusty look was in her eyes as winked at Po. The drug had her out of mind high with want. Her focus was set on the big guy. She had to admit she had a thing for broad shoulders and toned bodies. Even a husky guys were her type. As long as they were twice her size or more, she was all in.

Po recognized the look in the waterbender's eyes as her gaze lingered on him. She wanted him. He could see. Licking his lips before he brother his glass to his lips, he watched as she raised off her knees and carried the basin back to the other side of the room, swaying her hips. He marveled at how firm and perfectly round her ass was. How he wanted to sink his fingers into them.

Whistling at the waterbender, "Aye, girly, come take a seat on my lap."

The drugged waterbender smirked and made her way to the broad earthbender. She narrowed her eyes suggestively as she plopped down into his lap and circled her arms around his neck, sliding a gentle hand to his cheek as she looked him in his eyes.

"Oh you're playing friendly now, aren't ya?" Po's gaze became foggy with lust.

Giggling, "Friendly? I guess I'm not doing my job if it's just friendly you thinking I'm playing at." She caressed his beard.

Po flickered his eyes to her lips and licked his. It was the right kind of signal because a second later the waterbender's eyes lit up and she pressed her soft lips to his. He gestured for his men to leave and with reluctance they did, wishing the waterbender was interested in group activities.

"Let's get you out of these clothes." Katara said as broke her lips from his and tugged at his shirt.

Disguised as the one of guards for the estate, Ozai and Shinji made their way to where Katara was being held. They had hope that they weren't too late. The drug those men spoke of was one of the strongest aphrodisiacs known. It was likely they'd happen upon her being taken advantage of. Who was going to resist getting their hands on a girl like her whole she was high off her ass?

As they happened upon the chambers they believed belonged to the waterbender, Ozai paused and held his hand out to stop Shinji from going forth.

"You stay here and make sure no one enters. I'll get her then we'll leave." Ozai told him. Shinji nodded his head as his master entered the chambers.

Upon entering, Ozai immediately heard the sound of the waterbender moaning and clench his fists. That idiot! Doesn't she know she belongs to me?! Proceeding forward, he peaked into each room until he found her. But when he did, he wished he hadn't.

"Harder!" The waterbender moaned as she threw her head back. She was sitting on the edge of her bed with that man that had beaten her earlier. His fingers were inside of her and his mouth on her neck.

Ozai brow twitched with anger as he stormed into the room. Before either of the distracted person's knew it, he had grabbed the man by his hair and yanked him off the waterbender.

Po went down onto the floor hard as Katara stood up in shock, Ozai cracked his knuckles as he frowned deeply at this bastard.

"The girl is mine."

"Ozai, What are you doing?!" Katara tried grabbing to stop but he flung her off of him.

"I knew you had a thing for the water girly. That or you liked men." Po grinned as he got up to his feet. A fight was obviously about to take place.

Oh, I'm going to enjoy breaking your neck. Ozai's fingers twitched as a murder-lust fell over him. And after that, I'm going to make that girl pay for this. He was getting real fed up from having to save her all the time.

Shinji waited patiently outside for what was no more than twenty minutes. Whatever it was that his master was doing, it was taking a bit long. Moments later, Ozai exited with a naked waterbender over his shoulder with a deep red handprint on one of her bottom cheeks. She was squirming around as Ozai tried holding her still.

"Let's go before she gets us caught." The former tyrant hissed in irritation.

Nodding his head, Shinji followed behind his master. He noticed the waterbender smirking at him and tried ignoring it. She clearly wasn't in her right mind.

…..

Zuko stood in his chambers gazing out the window to his city with his hands clasped behind his back. He had just spoken with Suki and Sokka. Seems Toph discovered Mai was having an affair and not only that but someone that could possibly be his father's supporter. He had summoned her here to talk. They needed to discuss a great few things.

Hearing her stroll into his room and pause five feet behind him, Zuko turned to the side and looked at her from the corner of his good eye. "You've taken a lover?"

The noblewoman stared at him with cold eyes, "So have you, my love."

"But that was before you. Katara and I, we weren't to- No, that's besides the point. You cannot be seeing anyone but me, otherwise it puts our future children at risk of being illegitimate." Zuko said in a stern tone.

"Your bastard son puts them at risk, Zuko!" Mai suddenly yelled.

Balling his fists, "My son is not a threat to the children we will have. There's no telling if he's a firebender."

"He must be if your father has him! Do you think Ozai cares about him being your son? No! The boy has a probable claim to the throne and he wants to use that to his advantage! Use him against you!" Mai stressed. "The only way that doesn't happen is if you marry me now and allow me to give you a worthy heir!"

Zuko furrowed his brows. Marry now? Of course, Mai was his fiancé but he hadn't thought of actually marrying her since they were first engaged four years ago. It's why he kept putting it off. Hell, he just told his mother that he wanted to call it off.

Mai walked up to Zuko and knelt before him, grasping his hand. "Please, my love. Make me an honest woman and marry me, so I can give you a son worthy of being your heir."

The young Fire Lord watched as his fiancé pleaded her case to him. She was right. Every word from her first. But marrying her now while his son was kidnapped, was out of the question. He wanted his son. The son Katara gave him and then Mai could have hers.

"I won't leave my son to endure my father's cruelty. Once I have him, I will give you yours." Zuko pulled away from her.

Unhappy with the response, Mai looked at him with a hurt look. Because you still love his mother. She's dead and you still love her. How many times was Zuko going to break her heart with his unwavering love for that dead waterbender? How many times was she to be rejected by him? Why don't you see that I love you?! And she did and she has, since they were children. She had loved him all her life and yet, he was in love with someone far beyond his reach.

…

Having gotten to a village far off course in order to avoid running into the slavers, they checked into an inn and got situated in their rooms. Ozai took the waterbender to his room where he tried giving her a cold bath hoping it would calm her down and bring her to her senses. However; she was still out of it.

"Stop it!" Katara cried as she was being held down in the tub.

"This is for your own good, waterbender!" Ozai yelled at her while holding her down.

This continued on for as long as it was worth and the waterbender was finally let out of the bath, shivering wet. A towel was thrown over her shoulders as she was let out of the bathroom and taken to the bed where Ozai shoved her under the sheets. Her teeth chattered for a few minutes until she finally warmed up again. But with the drug in her system, warmth was the last thing she needed to be feeling.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Ozai noticed the waterbender staring at him while curled up underneath the sheets.

Giggling as she squirmed around in her sheets, "Want to come over here and warm me up some more?" She bit her lip at the end of the sentence.

"Go to sleep." He rolled his eyes. Something about her being under the influence of this drug turned him off. As much as he would enjoy getting underneath the covers with the naked waterbender, he rather her be in her right senses when that happened.

Katara pouted when it seemed her captor was lacking interest in her. He just turned around and stared out the window of their room. She didn't like it. All the times he had made it clear that he wanted her, how dare he act like this.

Pulling back the covers, the horny waterbender slid out of bed and quietly tiptoed over to her captor. She wasn't going to be ignored. Not now. Not when she needed the attention. Even if he just yelled at her and said some terrible things to her.

Ozai was looking out for any suspicious persons that might have followed them here. Luckily, he didn't see anyone that looked like they'd be a problem. His only real issue at the moment was a certain drugged tribeswoman. While on the lookout, his vision went black when a pair of hands covered his eyes.

"Ignoring me isn't going to work, Ozai." She purred in his ear and rubbed herself up against him.

Clenching his fist and growling frustratedly in the back of his throat, "What do you want?!"

"I want you."

"That's the poison talking."

"But I really do want you. Please, just come to bed with me or…" her hands dropped from his face as she circled around him to stand in front of him. "You can do me up against the wall."

The former tyrant watched the waterbender as she pressed herself into the wall and posed seductively for him. She was definitely testing his self control. After spending years without indulging in the delight of a woman's body, he didn't have much control left in. Especially after deal with her over the last few weeks.

When Katara saw his eyes avert from her, her brows furrowed and she did the only thing she could think of. Just when Ozai was about to turn away from her, the waterbender jumped up on him and forced her lips on his. She was just as sex deprived as him and if this is what she wanted, then this is what she would get. He just needed to be convinced.

"Just fuck me already." She whispered against his lips.

Biting her bottom lips, Ozai threw her down onto the bed and tried detaching her arms from around his neck. "Let go."

"Please!" She begged him. "Just for tonight!"

"No."

Rolling him underneath her, Katara started pulling at his tunic, trying to get it off of him but his hands grabbed her wrists to stop her. There was a three minute struggle between the two of them. Ozai having to fight the waterbender to keep his clothes on. It wasn't until a knock interrupted them that the waterbender stopped.

"My lord, did you want me to gather any supplies before we leave in the morning?" Shinji asked from the other side of the door.

Ozai saw the waterbender's eyes widened as a grin slipped to her lips. She tried to climb off him and answer the door, likely to jump Shinji. He grabbed her by her hair and threw her in the spot next him. It was then that he straddled her and forced her hands above her head.

"If you won't fuck me, I'll just find someone else who will." Katara snapped at him.

Maybe it was jealousy or him finally giving in but Ozai wasn't about to let her go chasing after Shinji. Not only did he want her for himself but he didn't trust things to be strictly physical between Shinji and the waterbender.

Seeing her captor suddenly reach for his belt buckle, the waterbender became excited and wiggled her hips in anticipation.

"I see someone's jealousy." Katara smirked.

"Shut up." Ozai captured her lip.

"Make me."

"I plan to."

~Next morning~

The morning was warmer than he had expected it to be. However; that could easily be blamed on the naked waterbender laying against his chest with her wrapped around his middle. He hadn't realized how late it was in the morning. Not that he was complaining. From the scratches on his chest, shoulder, and face, he earned the right to sleep in. Looking her over as she laid on him, he saw bite marks on her neck, shoulder, and upper breast. A dark bruises on her left ass cheek and large handprints on her thighs. Self-restraint wasn't his forte.

Pulling the girl's arm from around his waist, Ozai slid from out of the bed and immediately looked for where his clothes were probably thrown around the room. As he looked for them, the waterbender began waking and her eyes fluttered open.

"Ozai?" Her voice said his name and he stilled just as he pulled his pants on. "Are we leaving already?" The waterbender sat up, not caring that she was completely naked and looked to the shirtless man with marks all over his body.

"In an hour." He answered.

Tilting her head to the side, "So...last night…-"

"What about last night? Having regrets, waterbender?" He asked raising a brow.

"No...I just-." Katara was a bit lost for words. It reminded her of when she lost her virginity to Zuko. She didn't know what to say or where things went from there. What did this mean to her or him? Sure, Ozai probably thought nothing of it but she knew how she tended to be when sleeping with someone. It was never just sex for her. On drugs or not.

"Look here, girl." Ozai walked over to the bed and took the waterbender by her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Last night means nothing. It was just sex. Can you deal with that?"

A bit hurt by his words, Katara nodded and averted her eyes.

"Good." Something told him not to sleep with her. She was still very young. Not to mention overly sentimental. Sex was probably a bigger deal for her than him. Of course, he didn't care if her feelings got hurt but he didn't enjoy ruining the next morning for his female guests.

Katara sat in bed lost in her thoughts when Ozai went to the bathroom to shower. She sighed and laid back down, rolling on her side. What the hell did she think he would be like after she slept with him? This was expected. Not like he cared about her or had any feelings for her. Attraction and sexual tension was the only thing between them that wasn't hatred for one another. Curling up in the sheets, the waterbender felt sick to her stomach in shame. Why hadn't she fought the drug more? Yeah, it was out of her system now but in order for it to leave, it took her having sex with Ozai. It was unsettling and now, she had no idea what to do with herself.

….

This was it. Toshiro's estate. The man that owned the brothel in Gaoseng. Aang has finally made it. Hopping off of Appa, the monk made his way to the front entrance but was stopped by several groundsmen.

"Hold it right there, boy. What business do you have here?" One of the men spoke, he had a few bruises to his left eye.

The monk looked at the rest of them and saw they were all badly injured. Clearly his throat, Aang told them for what reason he was here and they all exchanged looks.

"I wouldn't go chasing after that waterbender, boy. She's with bad company. Real bad company." Po, the one with a black eye and broken jaw, said.

Bad company? So rebels possibly?

The young Avatar was about to further ask his questions when an old man walked up to them and he figured this must have been Toshiro, the brothel owner.

"You're looking for that beautiful water lily?" The old man asked to which Aang nodded. "Then you just missed her. She was taken last night."

"By those men she was with?" Aang asked.

Toshiro nodded, "I'd stop your looking if I were you. The man she's with is as dangerous as they come. She told me he kidnapped her son and she begged him to take her too. He killed half the men that work for me. That's not the kind of man you want to mess with." The old man clenched his cane tightly in anger.

That's Katara! I knew! I knew she was alive. "Well, I'm the Avatar. No ones too dangerous for me. I have to find her."

"Wait!" Toshiro and his men all gaped at the realization. "Then you have faced this man before."

Aang was a little confused for a moment before his eyes widened. Ozai?! Katara was with Ozai? Now this all made sense. He kidnapped Kai and staged Katara's death in order to take her with him. Spirits, this was bad. Really bad. He needed to find her. Fast.

….

"It'll just be an extra day added to our trip." Shinji said as he looked over their map at the table they were seated in the village diner.

Sitting closest to the window, Katara stared out of it as the men talked about the plan for Xiao Lu. She was doing everything in her power to not think about last night but it was difficult. She could still feel his hands on her skin and the warmth of his body. It drove her crazy. Making her entire body shiver at the thought of what transpired between them. The sex was incredible. That she couldn't deny. He left her bruised and battered and aching and it excited her that such violent behavior could be so pleasurable and desired. She had to be losing her mind. This is what I get for not moving on after Zuko.

Drinking his tea while keeping his face from sight with his cloak, "When we get there we'll need aliases and disguises."

"Our contact has already arranged for us to pose as partners to his Geisha House." Shinji informed his master.

Stroking his beard, Ozai sighed and leaned back. A Geisha House as a front. How clever. His gold eyes seemed to land on the dazed waterbender. She had been quiet all morning. Barely making eye contact.

"Get out of your head, girl." His finger jabbed her in her temple.

Katara was stunned out of her daze and went wide eyed, still facing away from her captor.

"Pay attention, girl."

"Why? None of this concerns me."

"But it does. You're just as a part of this as Shinji is. If you ever want to see your son again, you'll be more useful."

I guess nothing's changed. Katara stood up and excused herself from the table. She needed to be alone.

Neither man stopped her as she walked out. There was no point. Shinji knew something was up. He knew exactly what it was. It was hard to not hear what was happening in the room next to his. His master took the waterbender to bed and Shinji could see that it was weighing heavily on her mind. But that was to be expected.

It annoyed Ozai the way the waterbender was acting. He should have listened to himself and tied her up or let her sleep with Shinji. Of course, the latter was not going to happen. But it was a thought. Anything to get her to snap out of this. It irritated him to no end. What did she want from him?

Two days later nothing changed, the waterbender laid in bed with her back turned to Ozai while he glared at her, not knowing what it was that was wrong with her. It was really starting to get under his skin.

As he laid on his side with his arm under his head, Ozai figured he was done being ignored by the sulking girl and drug a finger down her back to get her attention. Instead of saying something, anything, she scooted away from him and pulled the sheets over her head. This was becoming more and more childish. He wasn't about to chase after her. Or at least that's what he told himself.

Leave me alone. She groaned in her head. Why did he have to bother her? She wasn't even bothering him. Just minding her own business. The sheets were pulled off her and she rolled her eyes when she was tugged to roll onto her back. It couldn't be helped that she was scowling up at the person bothering her and that he was returning it, pissed off for whatever reason.

"What do you want?" She asked in a monotone voice.

"You've been silent for two days now. I don't like it."

Sitting up, Katara looked at this asshole and tried to figure out what the hell his problem was. Her being silent bothered him? Seriously? Throwing her feet over the side of the bed, she climbed out of bed and went over the bathroom, hoping to get some space from him. However; he followed behind her, blocking her from entering.

"Get out of my way." Katara wore an expressionless face as she crossed her arms.

Towering over her was his arms folded, "Tell me what's wrong with you."

"Get out of my way."

"Not till you start talking, waterbender."

Groaning frustratedly, Katara balled her fist and glared up at her captor. "I hate you and you hate me. What's the problem with me not wanting to talk to you?"

"Because we both know what this is about."

Yeah but not that you care. And she knew he didn't. She was just a conquest to him. One more woman to add to his collection. It made her stomach turn. But what did she expect from a man like him. There was no honor in him. None at all.

"You came onto me!" Ozai hissed.

"I was drugged."

"Yes, I know that!"

"Then you shouldn't have taken advantage of me if you weren't going to care how I felt the next morning!" Katara yelled. "I'm not some whore who just moves on after something like that you jerk! I have feelings you piece of shit!"

Ozai was fed up when he grabbed her and threw her on the bed. She tried getting back up but he forced her back down and pulled up her nightgown, throwing it across the room. Katara tried kicking him off when he climbed on top of her, smashing his lips into hers. It resulted in him biting her lip till it bled and yet, continuing to devour her mouth. She thrashed underneath him, wanting him to stop but he wouldn't. It was when he undid the buckle on his pants that her eyes widened and she tried even harder to get him to stop. He lifted her leg about to penetrate her when Katara screamed, begging him to stop.

"This is what you wanted." Ozai glared at her as he began entering her moist sex. Her nails clawed into his skin as she clenched her teeth. Tears rolling down her face. She laid there unable to move as he took her. Stretching her walls to accommodate his girth and taking pleasure in what her body was giving him.

Katara cried out as he went deeper, holding her by her thighs as he pounded her tight quivering sex. She looked up at him and noticed him looking back at her. As he fucked her in the best way, she couldn't help but no longer resist. Letting herself go to enjoy his domination of her. Ozai smirked down at her and pulled out, grabbed her by her hair to flip her over.

"This is mine now." He ran his fingers down her folds and leaned down to kiss her neck gently.

The waterbender screamed into the sheets beneath her when he forced his way back in and rammed his thick length in and out of her. His hand gripped her ass and he spread them to go as deep as he liked. The sinful deliciousness of this hate fucking made Katara more wanting of the man behind her. She hated how much she loved this. Each thrust forcing her to cry even louder. She came and spilt everywhere the harder he fucked her.

When he pulled out of her again, Ozai grinned as she could barely hold herself up with her legs quivering as they were. His hand rubbed over her backside and he walked his fingers to a certain hole he could see had not been used yet. He wanted it. It was his. He claimed it or was about to. Firmly grasping her hip with one hand, Ozai held her down and poked at the puckered up hole of the waterbender's. She almost jumped but he pressed his weight on her as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

Trying to soothe her as he slowly pushed himself in, listening to her breathing become erratic. She bit into the sheets and clenched them as he went in further.

"Good girl." He whispered before kissing the side of her face.

Katara groaned in pain as Ozai held her in place and pulled out only to thrust back in. She pleaded with herself not to let the pain get to her as much. However; his size was tearing her open, she felt. It only got worse when he began thrusting harder into her, burying himself to the hilt in her ass and squeezing her sides tighter. His nails drew blood from her skin as did his cock in her ass but it didn't stop him. And as she settled into the tremendous pain of his conquest, she didn't want him to stop. Instead, she begged for him to take more and he did. He wanted every inch of her insides to be reached. Stretching to where only he would be a fit for her. He wanted to ruin her and that's what he did. Ruined her.

Reaching behind her, she spread herself open for him. Welcoming him to have whatever he liked. This was the kind of sex that made a girl forget her morals and convictions. Ozai could do whatever he wanted to her and she would be just fine with that.

As he reached his end, Ozai grabbed the back of her neck with both hands as she held herself open for him, pounding her in the ass until he felt he would burst. He pulled out quickly and shoved himself into her dripping cunt where he released himself inside. Katara collapsed onto the floor, his seed leaking out of her as she sat there in a daze.

Gathering her off the floor and he carried her off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind them. Wasn't long before the waterbender's voice cried out again.

…

Suki rubbed Sokka's bare shoulders as he sat up on the edge of the bed, forced awake by a night terror.

"Babe, it's alright." Suki said softly as she slid herself up behind him. "She's in a better place."

"Bullshit!" He swore as he threw his fist down at his side.

The Kyoshi fell silent as her boyfriend brought his hand over his face and sighed heavily, almost as if he were in tears. She didn't say a word. Just wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his back. Suki had been doing this every night since Katara passed and every night, Sokka would fall back to sleep. Resting soundly till morning. However; tonight was different.

Sokka pried her hands off of him and stood from bed, holding his face in his hands. The moonlight fell over his brown skin and he wept, falling on his knees. Yue, let us find my nephew. Please. Let us bring him home safely.

Watching him on his knees in prayer, Suki bit back tears and looked to the moon. She knew Sokka had lost nearly every woman he loved. His mother, first love, and now his sister. She knew the pain that rested in his heart was a great pain like no other he's felt.

Morning came fast and with it, an answer to his prayers in the form of direction. Sokka woke up and dressed first thing. He hurried through the halls asking the guards for Zuko's location. Finding the young Fire Lord on his knees in a praying position, Sokka paused in his haste and watched his friend light the incense as a part of his prayer ritual. When Zuko finally finished praying, he rose and then turned around in shock to find Sokka behind him. Watching with teary eyes.

"Is something wrong?" The firebender worried.

Shaking his head, Sokka's eyes laid on the small portrait of his sister place in between the candles and incense. Zuko noticed this and looked over his shoulder to it.

"An artist in Bei Seng Sei painted it while she and I were there for the first summit. Katara wore both her tribes colors and the Fire Nation's. People thought I was taking her as my wife and had the artist paint her." Zuko smiles sadly at the memory. "You wouldn't imagine the disappointment they felt when I told them she was just my Ambassador. But none were more disappointed than me."

Sokka finally looked away from the painting to his friend, "You did what was best for your country. These people would have never accepted her and she would have never been happy as Fire Lady. But you still loved her."

The Fire Lord nodded his head as he looked back to the portrait of Katara. I love her even now. Not even death could stop that.

"Suki and I are going to start searching for Kai in the Earth Kingdom." Sokka remembered why he originally came looking for Zuko. "If your father is believed to be there, that's where we'll go."

Zuko accepted this news, knowing it was best some of them went looking themselves. "Then you can take a steamship with me and Toph. We have important business in Bei Seng Sei."

"Then who'll be here to watch over the country?" Sokka asked in concern.

"Mai." The Fire Lord said the name with discontent. "And my mother."

The tribesman figured Zuko knew what he was doing. While he didn't like the idea of him leaving his nation while his father was on the run, he knew whatever had him traveling to Bei Seng Sei had to be urgent. Otherwise, this was a terrible move.

Gathering himself and his thoughts, Zuko got ready to leave the shrine of his garden. "We leave at sundown." The firebender patted his friend's shoulder.

Nodding his head, "We'll meet you at the docks."

"Good."

…..

In the bathroom practically freaking out to herself, Katara knocked over a few things that she snuck out to gather. She was in the mold of possibly having a mental breakdown. One, she had to get medicine and bandages for her body seeing as her bruises were actually burn marks. How that was possible, she didn't know. Two, the other medicine she bought for another issue could only really have an effect if taken directly after sex and she had waited too long. Three, she was simply overwhelmed with fear and despair. Two major possibilities presented themselves and she was frightened of them both. Ozai regaining his bending and her possibly becoming pregnant.

As she fumbled through her possessions she stole a knock was heard on the bathroom door. In an unsteady and panicked voice.

"One minute."

"Katara, it's Shinji. Are you dressed?"

Seeing that she hadn't yet put on her dress, Katara stumbled over the things that had fallen to get to her clothes but fell when she chipped her foot on something. She hissed through her teeth and swore.

"Hey, are you alright in there?" Shinji sounded worried as he knocked harder.

Katara bit her lip and tried healing herself quickly but ended up knocking something else over. "Damn it!"

Having heard enough of the commotion, Shinji twisted the knob and pushed himself up against the door. He didn't know what was going on but it seemed nothing good was happening behind this door. As he managed to bust the door open, the firebender saw the waterbender in full nude, panicking with a bunch of items from the village pharmacy scattered about.

"What is this? What are you doing in here?" His brows furrowed as he picked one of the items up to examine. "How did you get these things?"

"I snuck out." She admitted to him and him alone. While he was her enemy she still trusted him on a level that she didn't trust many others.

With a look of disapproval, "Why? What was so important that you needed to risk getting in more trouble?"

"My bruises won't heal. I think he burned me last night." Katara's hand went to the bandage over her hip as she looked down at the floor. "And I'm trying to prevent a possible pregnancy."

Shinji stared wide eyed at the waterbender and then quickly got down in the floor to hurry to pick up the fallen items. He rushed to throw them in the satchel he found lying next to his feet. He needed to get these things tucked away and get her ready before Lord Ozai returns. Agni, knew the man was easily angered and there's no telling how he would react to the sight of this.

Katara sat there watching Shinji toss all her things into a bag and then stand up with the satchel over his shoulder, reaching to turn the sink knob. As water began running, he looked back to her with a desperate look on his face.

"I'll help you with whatever it is that's going on but I need you heal that cut on your foot and be ready in five minutes." Shinji told her.

From the deep concern in his eyes to the way he seemed to panic slightly, Katara knew he was trying to protect her once again. If Ozai saw her like this, there was no telling what he'd do. She looked to the sink where the water was run from and bended it to her hand, with that hand she proceeded to heal her cut. Shinji closed the door behind him when he saw that the waterbender was preparing herself.

Five minutes later, Shinji was carrying the waterbender's things as he held to her forearm and hurried her to their mounts. Ozai had already been waiting at the stables when they arrived and wore an annoyed look on his face when they were five minutes behind schedule.

"What took you so long?" Ozai asked Shinji though the question was for the waterbender.

Leading the waterbender to her mount and helping her onto it, Shinji responded to his master that they had run into an overly talkative innkeeper. Not wanting to place and blame on the waterbender. As he got Katara situated on the ostrich horse, he gave her a look to remind her that he would help her, she just had to cooperate. She nodded to him and took the reins on her mount.

Shinji climbed up on his with ease as he came up behind his master with his mount and the waterbender followed. Two more days till Xiao Lu. That's all there was. Two more days. Once they were situated there, Shinji promised to find a way to get the waterbender her son while not having to deal with Ozai as much. However; he warned her that he could not free her or her son. But he could make things much easier. It was his best offer to her as a mere underling. Fortunately, she took it. Knowing Shinji would keep his word.

As they were about to leave out the village, an old store clerk was seen complaining to what looked like the local law enforcement and Katara turned her head to the side, pulling her hood over her head as she did so. However; his wandering eyes spotted her before she could react and he pointed in her direction.

"That's her, Officer! That's the woman that broke into my store and stole from me!" The old scrawny man yelled to which the men riding ahead of the waterbender both turned their heads to look behind them.

"Halt!" The Officer shouted. "Stop right there woman!"

Ozai glared at the waterbender while Shinji sent her a look that was even more concerned and filled with disappointment. Had he known she had not only snuck out last night but stolen those things, he would have better prepared for this. Why hadn't she told him this?!

Yanking the reins of his mount, Ozai pulled around and stopped in front of the waterbender as the officer stalked their way.

"Move aside, sir!" The Officer warned the man that came and blocked the woman from his reach.

Not saying a word, a hooded Ozai stared the officer down from his mount and threatened him with the look in his eyes.

"Sir!"

"The woman hadn't left our room the entire night. How could she possibly steal from that man?" Ozai spoke in a chilling tone.

The officer could feel that this man wasn't one to be easily trifled with but he wasn't about to let the woman off. "If she was indeed in your room the entire night, then she'll have no problem letting us search her bag."

Ozai turned to the waterbender and snatched her back off her mount, tossing it in the officer's face. "Search it."

The officer caught the bag and glared at the gold eyed man with disdain as he began opening the bag. The old shopkeeper headed over to see if his things were in the woman's bag. Katara felt herself panic again and then looked over to Shinji. He shook his head knowing exactly what she was thinking but they couldn't risk having more conflict with people.

"I knew it! She's a thief!" The shopkeeper yelled as he looked over to the hooded woman.

Katara knew she was screwed at this point and as soon as she saw Ozai turn back to look at her after vouching for her, she knew she was dead. Doing the only thing she could think of at the moment, the waterbender took off and ignored the men shouting after her. Looks like she was on her own. There was no turning back. Ozai would kill her for this. She knew that. Shinji knew that. She would just take her chances getting to Xiao Lu and hopefully meeting up with Shinji when she got there. He'd be understanding hopefully and her son, she'd take him and run. Head back home and pray Ozai didn't come looking for her there. This was her chance at finally getting herself out of this mess. She just needed to get as far ahead as possible from Ozai and Shinji if this was going to work.

…..

A/N:

So Katara said to hell with it and has run off. Wonder if she'll get far or if Ozai is going to capture her before she can get too far. And Shinji, why are you so damn helpful? What's he playing at?