Chapter 14: The Storm

"Explain to me again why we're doing this?" Hotaru frowned as she watched Zuko approach her with a blindfold. They stood on the main deck of the ship, Iroh seated to the side sipping his tea along with Sho propped up against the small table. Zuko stood before her, giving her this look as if to warn her to cooperate.

Zuko sighed, growing tired of her unwillingness. "You need to master energybending. Those dark spirits keep appearing everywhere we go and your ability is the only thing that can destroy them."

"And what's blindfolding me going to do?"

Kyo piped up, also growing tired of Hotaru's reluctance. "It's basic energybending Hotaru. Being aware of the energies around you allows you to see without actually seeing. Cutting off your other senses by blindfolding you, will force you to energybend to see."

She pouted up at Zuko. She believed they were going to spar, not practice energybending. She didn't know why she felt so reluctant to practice the bending form but something about it intimidated her. Sure, the power had saved her countless times right when she needed it the most but there was something about harnessing all that untamed energy that made her feel so unsure of herself. Each time she drew that power from within her, she could feel the chi spilling out of her, almost beyond her control. There was no telling what damage she could do if she didn't control that power.

"But my energybending always appears just at the right time when I need it. We can't just… use it as a last resort defense mechanism?"

Zuko gave her an exasperated look, his patience wearing thin. "It appears when you're seconds away from death!"

"I hate to agree with him but he's right, Hotaru. You aren't even able to produce your own energy, you rely too much on Sho for that. You've been able to sense other's energies before, so now it's time to perfect it. You need to start with your basics and work your way up. Quickly I might add, considering we're under attack by spirits every other day."

"Okay, I get it." Hotaru turned away from Kyo, deep down knowing he was right. She wouldn't admit but she was just scared of energybending on her own.

Iroh set down his tea, folding his hands in his sleeves. "Hotaru, it does not hurt to try. Rest assured, we will not push you beyond your limits."

She glanced down at the blindfold then back up at Zuko, trying to hold his gaze. His eyes softened slightly as he reached out hesitantly to put her gold strands behind her ear. He quickly pulled his hand back, diverting his eyes to anything but hers. "You want to get stronger, don't you?" Hotaru nodded in a daze, stilling feeling the warmth of his hand from where he grazed her skin lightly. He glanced back down at her into her blue eyes. "Then prove it."

She gave him a determined nod this time, letting him slip the blindfold over her eyes. The fabric covered her ears as well, making it hard to hear properly. She stood there, unsure of which direction Zuko was standing now. It was awfully quiet, for she had not expected Zuko to be so stealthy. She strained to hear any kind of movement but the sounds of the waves crashing against the ship made it hard to hear his footsteps.

She was beginning to feel frustrated. Not liking the feeling of her senses being cut off, she punched forward hastily only to feel the thin air. She took a deep breath and began to focus on trying to find him but before she could even concentrate long enough, a sharp pain of something hitting her on the back of her head snapped her out of it.

"Ow!" She ripped the blindfold off and rubbed the back of her head. She could practically feel the bump forming.

Zuko crossed his arms, and scoffed at her. "I was right behind you! If you didn't feel that coming, then you're not doing anything."

"I'm trying okay! Its hard when I can't see what I'm trying to feel."

"That's the whole point!"

"Well I'm sorry Zuko, do you know how to energybend? If so, enlighten me!"

Iroh and Kyo both deadpanned, both growing tired of their bickering. "Hotaru, focus! Let energybending act as another sense for you. Rely on it to help you see. Try again."

Hotaru took a deep breath and put the blindfold back over her eyes. Silence enveloped the deck and once again Hotaru grew uncomfortable. She didn't have the slightest idea as to where Zuko was. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't feel his energy. She tried to twist her body slowly in all directions taking a defensive stance but it too didn't help her one bit. Suddenly, a foot connected with her own making her fall face first. Hotaru growled, frustrated with her self. She was beginning to think Zuko was enjoying this.

She kicked out angrily and twisted around to get back up. She began to strike out angrily, not caring anymore that she was just punching blindly at the air. She kept moving, until she finally connected with an arm. Before she could even feel any sense of pride, Zuko twisted her arm behind her back, holding her in place while she struggled to break free.

Breathing heavily, Hotaru let her anger get the best of her. "Let go Zuko!"

He let go immediately and she fell to her knees, defeated. She punched the metal ground with her fist in frustration and realized everyone was watching her. Embarrassment at her inadequacy churned inside her. She felt weak.

The memory of when she first discovered her ability to firebend months ago evaded her thoughts. She began to practice with Zuko soon after, and firebending had come so naturally to her like second nature. There was never a struggle to control a single flame or perform a firebending stance perfectly. Energybending, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. The art form felt so incredibly foreign to her. Even the times she tapped into Aang's energy or energy bent with Sho's help, it felt so strange to her, like the power was beyond her control.

Iroh's voice broke the silence, "Hotaru perhaps that is enough for today. We can try again tomorrow."

The sympathy in his voice made her feel worse. Her fists clenched tightly as she remained still on the ground, not daring to take the blindfold off. Why couldn't she do it?

'Let it in.' A familiar voice whispered the words so softly she almost missed it.

"What?" Hotaru muttered softly, wondering if she heard anything at all.

She suddenly became aware of the intense heat of the sun shining on her skin, warming her up. She reveled in the sun and for a moment, the sun's warmth felt different then usual. She turned her head up to the sky, squinting her eyes up at the bright light of the sun that shown through the fabric.

'Don't be afraid of what's always been there.' The voice rang clear in her head again, like a distant memory of something she's heard before. She began to feel an intense, steady pulse pouring out all round her. She recognized this feeling immediately. It was the feeling she felt every morning when the sun peaked out over the horizon, filling her with its immense strength if only for a few seconds. This time, the sensation lingered all around her almost as if urging her to reach out and grasp it. It pulsed around her like a soft, soothing hum and for a moment she let go of her fear. She blinked through the fabric and glanced down at her hands to find that she could see the sun's powerful energy flowing around her and merging with her own chi.

"Hotaru?"

She ignored Kyo's voice, and looked to her side to find the cluster of the sun's energy mixing with someone else's flowing chi. The energies formed a recognizable outline of a person standing a few feet away from her. She smiled knowing she found Zuko. She was energybending.

Zuko watched Hotaru curiously. She sat on the floor, discouraged and defeated, yet unmoving when uncle ended her training for the day. The urge to walk over and comfort her was maddening to say the least but he faltered. He knew he was no good with words. What could he really say to make her feel better?

When he had his issues, he kept mostly to himself. The idea of trying to comfort someone else when he couldn't even quell his own worries at times was incredibly frustrating. But watching her like this, so sad and angry with her self bothered him too much.

He had learned many things about Hotaru over the length of their travels. Granted, he knew very little of her past, where exactly she came from and her part in all this mess with the dark spirits. In that aspect, she was still a mystery to him but her little quirks and who she was as a person was something he had grown to learn all too well. The way she tugged at her hair when she was nervous. Her childish, playful antics when she tried to get a rise out of teasing him, her mischievous nature and her undeniable selflessness. She was also too hard on herself.

He had noticed it the many times they had spared together. Hotaru fought like she had something to prove. They were small things, like holding a stance longer then necessary to see how far she could hold it. Performing a move to perfection or pushing her limits constantly. She fought with vindication and he wondered if she herself knew it.

His attention was brought back when Hotaru turned her head to the sky. For a moment, he thought those dark spirits might be approaching them from afar but the sky was cloudless, the sun shining brightly down upon them. He turned back to Hotaru only to find that her attention was now fully on him, like she could see him.

A chill ran down his spine as he could practically feel her eyes bore into him. He was glad for the blindfold covering her eyes for he couldn't control the smile that escaped his lips. 'Atta girl.'

Hotaru stood up and stepped into a fighting stance like he knew she would. The troublesome girl was ready to fight and he knew she wouldn't hold back. He lowered into his own stance and without a moment to waste, she charged at him.

That rush came back again, the one he always felt when they sparred. He never understood the feeling, always thinking it was just the adrenaline but this feeling felt so different. It started off slow, building up slowly until his whole body was tingling with this incredible rush of energy. It was like she was fueling him up with her own energy. He knew Hotaru was different the moment he met her, but discovering there was another bending art form in the world was the last thing he expected.

He blocked every punch and kick she threw at him. She had put him on the defensive, giving him little opportunity to throw his own hits. Normally he would be frustrated by now that he wasn't able to fight back but she was laughing. Her energy was contagious and even he couldn't deny that he was having….fun. He could hear Kyo and his uncle cheering on the sidelines but he couldn't even be bothered, he was cheering for her too.

Hotaru's hand reached out but missed and he grasped it quickly, finally slowing her down enough for him to retaliate. He hadn't anticipated her hand to accidently brush against his scar. It felt like time was slowing down and before he could even grasp what was happening, flashes of his worst nightmare began to play right before his eyes. He was back in the sparring arena, his father towering before him with his hand ablaze. Tears fell from his young, boyish face right as his father lifted his hand doused in flames. The vision disappeared right before his father's hand connected with his face.

He ripped away from Hotaru hastily like she was the one who had burned him. Hotaru tore the blindfold from her eyes and stared at him in shock like she too had seen it. He was so distraught and taken aback at the vivid flashback of that miserable day that he couldn't bring himself to care much as to how she had been able to see that. He could feel his hands shaking, his scar aching at the memory. He needed to leave. He needed to get away from everyone right now or he was going lose it in front of everyone.

"Zuko…" His name left her lips as a shaky whisper. He could see the tears forming in her eyes and the sight of her tears made him so angry. He could feel his rage bubble up inside him. Rage he hadn't felt in a while since he had met this troublesome girl. Before he knew it, the anger was blinding. What was he doing? He should be chasing the Avatar, not training this girl who he had no idea who she really was. Had he forgotten his mission? Had he forgotten the reason why he was stuck on this wretched ship running across the entire world searching for a young boy? He didn't mean to glare at her so hatefully but here he was worrying so much about this girl when he should be focusing on his mission. He needed to leave right now.

Zuko turned swiftly, leaving the three standing on the deck confused and in shock. Hotaru stood frozen to the spot, her heart aching in her chest as Zuko slammed the door behind him.

Hotaru stared out into the vast ocean before her, the waves almost hypnotizing as they rocked the ship gently. The ocean was eerily calm, so much so the crew stopped to admire the ocean's peaceful lull as the sun shown brightly in the cloudless sky. Hotaru stood leaning against the railing, watching the strange scene. She wished her mind were as at peace as the ocean was right now. Her mind on the other hand was racing, completely troubled by what she stumbled upon earlier. Images she wished she never saw flashed in her mind repeatedly making her wish she could just turn her mind off to make them stop. Zuko's tear stained face as he knelt before that…horrid, horrid man made her feel sick. She couldn't see the man's face clearly, but she could feel the dread Zuko felt at that moment. She could feel every ounce of emotion he had felt. His fear, his panic and his agony right as that man's hand met his pale cheek.

Hotaru shut her eyes tightly, Zuko's piercing screams still ringing clearly in her mind. It took every piece of her not to run after him. Not to grab him and hold him tightly. But she didn't dare move, fully aware that she had marched into something so incredibly personal. Something she had no right whatsoever to know without his permission. The look he gave her pierced her heart. It held so much hatred and she couldn't blame him.

Her thoughts were cut short when she felt him coming. His energy was now engrained in her mind. Zuko stepped out into the deck, and she couldn't help but watch him. He was clearly irritated, the scowl on his face deeper then usual. His eyes met hers for moment until he averted his eyes away quickly, his scowl deepening. Agni, she was so stupid.

"What's wrong with prince pouty?" Kyo's voice evaded her thoughts.

"The usual. I messed up catastrophically." She sighed, keeping her voice low so he wouldn't overhear. She moved to stand by Iroh who was looking out into the sky worriedly. In the far distance, dark looming clouds approached them hauntingly. She didn't sense any dark spirits approaching them meaning it was only a storm but a big one at that.

The tension on the ship seemed to grow cold at that very moment. Lieutenant Jee scoffed and turned to look at Zuko with a smug look. Zuko glared at the dark skies ahead of them silently, ignoring the Lieutenant. Hotaru glanced between the two confused.

"Uh… are we missing something?"

Iroh chuckled worriedly, waving his hands as if to ease the tension. "Prince Zuko just said some things he didn't mean before."

Lieutenant Jee crossed his arms and glared at Zuko, something that didn't go unnoticed with the Prince. "Looks like your uncle was right after all about the storm."

Iroh and Hotaru both face palmed, knowing that was all it took to get a rise out of Zuko. Eyes a blazed, Zuko tuned around quickly and jabbed a finger at Lieutenant Jee. "Lieutenant, you better learn some respect or I will teach it to you."

"Respect? What do you know about respect? The way you talk to your hard working crew and your esteemed uncle shows you know nothing about respect!"

Zuko's clenched hands began to shake. Hotaru was surprised steam wasn't coming out of his hands by now. Hotaru turned to Iroh worriedly, "Should we cut in Iroh?"

"Cut in? It's just getting good!" Kyo exclaimed excitedly.

"You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again what should I expect from a spoiled prince."

In that moment, Zuko snapped. He got into a fighting stance and Lieutenant Jee accepted his challenge. At this, Iroh stepped forward breaking up the two hotheads. The two stared each other down briefly, both not giving in until backing down minutes later. Lieutenant Jee walked away angrily and the crew soon after dispersed leaving the trio alone on the main deck.

"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship." Iroh attempted to comfort Zuko by putting a hand on his shoulder but Zuko brushed him off harshly. Iroh sighed heavily but did not say anything. She couldn't help but notice the way Iroh gazed at Zuko. It was the look of a concerned father worrying over their son. It made her wonder if Iroh knew how Zuko got his scar? He must have, Zuko didn't show it but it was clear that he was close with his uncle. The look he gave him made her heart heavy.

There were so many things about Zuko that she didn't know, secrets that he keeps buried away deep inside of him. There were so many things she wanted to know. Not for the sake of solving the mystery that is Zuko but to help quell the storm raging inside him.

Hotaru hummed softly as she maneuvered her way through the long hallways of the ship to the infirmary. Her head felt like it was splitting in two. It had been days since she last felt a headache this bad. She had told the doctor about her migraines before but he couldn't determine what caused them. They were too irregular and fleeting to pinpoint exactly what caused them. He had prescribed to her herbs that only helped to dull the ache slightly but she would take anything that helps.

The ship jerked suddenly and she gripped the wall hurriedly to keep herself upright. The storm appeared to be getting worse. Ever so often the ship would rock dangerously to its side and it made her nervous the ship would tip over any minute. She righted herself and continued walking. It was terribly quiet inside the ship except for the sounds of thunder and lightening coming from outside. She wished she had brought Kyo and Sho along with her but Kyo had actually asked to stay in her room. When she had asked why, he simply responded that he needed some time to think about matter of the dark spirits and the war. She had tried to press him more about it but gave up when he wouldn't tell her anything more on the subject. Up ahead, she could see a lit room down the hall and soon after began to hear voices coming from the room, one of those voices being Iroh's.

She stopped abruptly when she heard Zuko's name. "Try to understand my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much in such a short time."

Hotaru didn't dare to move. She was frozen to the spot next to the door and made sure she was hidden from sight.

"As you know, Zuko is the crowned Prince of the Fire Nation. Becoming Fire Lord some day is his destiny. At a young age, my nephew was always very determined to learn as much as he could about what it is to be Fire Lord. On this one fateful day, he asked to partake in one of the war meetings held in the presence of the Fire Lord. I allowed him to partake so long as he did not interrupt. Had I known what would happen that day, I would have never let him step foot into that war chamber."

Her heart was pounding in her chest as Iroh continued his story. "At the time, the high ranked generals were attempting to figure out different strategies to regain control on the siege of Ba Sing Sa. One general suggested they used the 41st division, which were entirely new Fire Nation recruits, as bait to distract the powerful earth kingdom battalion that protected the outer walls of Ba Sing Sa. Zuko, outraged by the general's plan, spoke out against it and he was right you see, but it was not his place to speak. There were dire consequences."

Hotaru could hear Iroh's strained sigh. "The Fire Lord was furious, claiming that Zuko's outburst was a sign of complete disrespect and there was only one way to resolve this…"

"Agni Kai…" Hotaru whispered as Lieutenant Jee uttered the same words. She could hear the sadness seeping from Iroh's voice as he continued.

"Yes. Zuko looked upon the general, and declared he was not afraid. But he misunderstood. Zuko had spoken out against the general's plan but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord who he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

Hotaru closed her eyes tightly, gripping her head as the visions flashed through her mind.

"Please father I meant you no disrespect, I am your loyal son!" Zuko fell to his knees before his father, tears falling from his eyes as he bowed his head to the cold ground.

"Rise and fight Prince Zuko!"

Zuko shook his head firmly. His voice shaking as he tried desperately to stop this nightmare. "I won't fight you!"

"You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher." Zuko lifted his tear stained face as his father loomed over him, hand doused in the bright red flame.

Hotaru darted across the hall in a panic. The ship's violent swaying almost making her trip before she reached the infirmary. She slammed the door shut and tried desperately to calm her breathing. Her heart was erratic and she couldn't think properly, Zuko's screams still echoing in her mind. She ripped open the cabinet and searched for the herbs to help the splitting migraine that was only getting worse.

She grasped the bottle with shaky hands, only to fall to her knees when the ship took a sudden lurch. Hotaru could no longer hold back her tears. She covered her mouth to silence her sobs. What father could possibly do that to their own son? He had done it without hesitation, burned and scared his thirteen-year-old boy without thinking twice about it. What kind of monster would do that?

The sinking realization of his banishment settled in. The reason he was off chasing the avatar was not only so that he could return home but to prove he was worthy to his father. Regardless that his father scared him both physically and mentally, Zuko yearned for his father's forgiveness.

The splitting headache dulled and for a second and Hotaru could finally catch her breath. Her mind cleared and a calm took over, knowing what she had to do next. She needed to tell him. She had never felt surer about the decision regardless of what would happen to her. She would tell Zuko she was the Avatar.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Hotaru sprung up from the floor quickly and glanced around the seemingly empty room. She scanned the infirmary until her eyes fell on the reflection in the mirror. Her reflection smiled and shook her head in a chastising manner, like a mother would to their naïve child. Wide, and frightened blue eyes stared terrified at their reflection, the mirror image staring back with cold, uncaring eyes. Her only thought being that she had lost her mind.

"No…this isn't real. I'm imagining this." Hotaru whispered.

Her reflection gave her a sinister smile. "You know you're not dreaming Hotaru. This is real."

Hotaru snapped. "NO! It's not real! It's all in my head!" Hotaru gripped her head tightly, praying she was stuck in a nightmare and that she would wake up soon. "I'm losing my mind…" She whispered.

The reflection chuckled slightly. "Silly girl, such a fragile thing you are."

Hotaru's hands began to shake as watched the reflection twirl a strand of gold hair around their finger, unfazed by her horror. "Now seeing as how brash you're being, I advise that we not tell the prince about your little secret. It'll only complicate our game."

"Shut up! SHUT UP! There is no game!"

The reflection was unfazed by her shouting. Her rage only seemed to amuse her mirror image. "Your best interest is my best interest girl. I can't have you locked away. Surely you don't want that, regardless of your feelings towards the prince."

"You don't…you don't know anything."

"I don't? I mean do you really believe your prince would protect you from the Fire Lord? How naïve of you to actually consider that idea. He couldn't even protect himself from his own father…"

The sound of glass shattering echoed across the hall. Hotaru's staggered breathing drowned out the thunder raging outside the ship walls. She stared at the mess around her feet. The shards of glass reflecting her disheveled appearance back at her. She didn't notice the sharp pain in her right hand until the droplets of blood began to spill on the ground at her feet. She wiped the blood off her hand quickly and smoothed her hair out the best she could. Hotaru walked out of the infirmary as if nothing had ever happened.

Zuko ran as fast as he could through the endless, lush meadows just outside the fire nation capital city. The sun was setting quickly and he knew he needed to be there before the sun set. He had snuck out of the palace once again for the second time this week and the young boy made sure his troublesome little sister wasn't following him this time. Zuko was on a mission and no one would stop him. He couldn't help but feel a bit proud at how much better he was now at sneaking out of the palace. He remembered the first time he had done it when he was seven and how much of a disaster that day turned out to be.

Of course, Azula had ratted him out and the guards had found him quickly after. That day ended in a long, lengthy scolding at how dangerous leaving the palace walls unaccompanied was. A year later of sneaking out rather regularly and he never got caught. Azula would occasionally follow him but she never told their parents, knowing full well that he knew she left the palace sometimes too.

The salty air filled his nostrils, a sure sign that he was almost at his destination. A few days ago, he had discovered this meadow on the edge of a cliff filled with fire lilies in full bloom. The meadow was astonishingly beautiful and unlike anything he had ever seen before. He wished to bring the pretty flowers back to his mother knowing she would love them and it would cheer her up. He had overheard her crying the other night and it just killed him to hear his mother cry. He just knew the flowers would make her feel better.

When he reached the meadow, the last person he expected to see stood amongst the blood red flowers, his father. At the sound of his abrupt stop, his father turned to look at him with the cold gaze that intimidated him so. Zuko knew he was in big trouble this time.

His father narrowed his eyes at him. "Zuko. What are you doing here?"

Zuko immediately bowed his head low to the ground. "Fa-Father. I'm s-sorry for disobeying!"

He could here his father's footsteps approach him tauntingly slow. How he wished his mother were here. He knew his father wouldn't be as harsh if his mother were here to intervene like she always did but it was just he and his father alone in this meadow. His mother nowhere to defend him. He could feel the heat of his father's gaze on him as he towered over the young boy.

"You snuck out of the palace…again."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement and he could hear the annoyance in his father's voice. Something he was beginning to hear quite often now. No matter how hard he tried, it always seemed like he disappointed his father. He tried to keep his voice even but it only came out as a stuttering mess.

"I…I snuck out because I…I wanted to…to bring mother the-these flowers. She was up-upset the other ni-night and I thought these would make her…feel better." He gulped, not daring to look up at his father.

The silence was deafening until he heard his father scoff. "You truly are your mother's son."

Zuko snapped his head up at his father in surprise and watched in awe as his father bent down to pick a firelily. His father looked deep in thought as he examined the flower so much so Zuko felt like he had intruded in something he shouldn't have. He had never seen his father look almost like he was…sad.

The question spilled out of him before he could stop his cursed tongue. "What are you doing here, father?"

The question seemed to break Ozai out of his trance. His father turned his attention to him and for once his gaze wasn't so calculating and cold like the many times before. Zuko thought he wouldn't answer the question until his father's deep voice filled the meadow. "I used to come to this place many years ago..."

Ozai looked at the flower once more before letting it fall to the ground uncaringly. He looked at Zuko with a raised brow. "I now realize the guards are not patrolling the palace walls as best as they should be."

Zuko turned red in embarrassment and hung his head low once again knowing he had not escaped his father's wrath just yet. But to his surprise his father laid his hand on his head softly. Zuko's eyes widened in shock at his father's unusual display of affection, something he hadn't been at the receiving end in a very, very long time.

Just as quickly as it happened, his father's usual demanding voice appeared, the moment no longer there. "Collect what you came for and let us return. I'm sure your mother would like to hear from where exactly you collected them from."

Zuko stood shocked for moment and couldn't help the smile that reached his lips. He quickly snapped out of it and gathered the nicest flowers he could find as quickly as he could. Once he was done, he walked silently side by side with his father, the air around them lighter then usual. Zuko couldn't help but think about what happened back at the meadow. At just how strange the day had gone.

A strange day indeed.

Zuko stared at the flame before him. The flame flickered with each breath he took, completely under his control. He was deep in thought, memories he tried to not think about resurfacing and leaving him to feel empty inside. That memory was so long ago, but one that always stuck with him.

Zuko raised a hand to touch the sensitive, scared skin on his face. 'Why father?'

The door cracked open and immediately Zuko knew who it was. The tiny hairs on his neck began to stand, the tingling sensation he always felt when she was around returning almost instantaneously. She said nothing and he could hear her approach him. It irked him how comfortable she was to just barge into his room without any hesitation and how willing he was to just let her without a fight.

She sat next to him, their folded knees touching ever so slightly. He didn't look at her straightaway, the uneasiness he felt that she had seen that memory still lingered, but he wasn't angry. He tried to be but that it was useless. The anger was fleeting, coming and going as soon as he had felt it. He cursed to the spirits at how much of a distraction she was to him. What worried him the most was that he didn't really care that she was. He turned to look at her, her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady like she was meditating. The flame illuminated her pale face, making it almost look like she was glowing. That tightening feeling in his chest returned the more he gazed at her. No, he didn't care at all just how much of a distraction she was to him.

Something caught his eye and a frown began to form on his hard face. He grasped her bloody and bruised hand gently, the unexpected touch forcing her to open her eyes in surprise. It looked like she had been crying as well.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "What happened to your hand?"

Hotaru let out a deep sigh, his warm hand bringing some sort of comfort to her aching hand. "I um… fell."

"Into glass?" He raised a brow expectantly towards her but she just shrugged tiredly. He held her small hand firm in his big one, trying the best he could to be gentle as he picked out the small shards of glass that still lingered in her knuckles. Had she struck a mirror?

Zuko's eyes traced back up to her pretty face, only to find that she was already watching him. Gold and blue hues clashed against each other and Zuko wondered when his racing heart would calm itself.

Her expression suddenly looked pained. "Zuko, listen. I'm sorry…about before. I didn't mean to-."

"It's fine."

She shook her head stubbornly. "No, it was just so wrong of me to even stumble upon that…"

"Hotaru, you know now. You probably would have eventually. It's no secret. Just drop it okay? I don't want your pity."

It was the last thing he wanted. He was used to the staring by now, the sad, shocked disgusted stares. That he was used to. His scar being addressed before he him self was whenever meeting someone. What he wasn't used to was the voiced pity people felt the need to express when the subject of his scar came into conversation. He tried to avoid that at all costs.

Hotaru grasped his hand tightly, ignoring the ache in her hand. "No, I don't-I'm just so… so angry that it happened!" Zuko's breath felt like it was caught in his throat. What?

"You didn't deserve that."

"You…you don't know what you're talking about. I spoke out of turn-."

"No! You were a loyal, honorable prince to your people. There is no dishonor in speaking up for them. It's the mark of a great leader, one who cares about who he leads. The Fire Lord was wrong for what he did to you."

The way she said his father's title with such disdain frightened him, not for his sake but for hers. He doubted she knew just how much she was bordering on a thin line saying things such as that out loud, things that could very well get her killed if heard by the wrong people. "Hotaru do you even hear yourself? It's treason undermining the Fire Lord's will!"

"My loyalty is to you." It was the way she said it, so sure of her self that struck a cord in him. Stupid, stupid girl.

She gave him a sad smile and gazed at their locked hands. "Is it silly of me to wish I could have stopped it? Turn back time and stop him from laying a hand on you?"

He sighed. "Everything that's happened, it's made me stronger. It makes me fight harder every day for my destiny. I try not to dwell on the past. Save myself the trouble of wondering what could have happened."

Zuko's eyes softened, watching the selfless girl amusingly tug at her hair nervously. "And capturing the Avatar is the only way…"

"You know it is." He said softly.

Hotaru gave him a look he couldn't quite read and it worried him. "Right…Zuko I have to… tell you something."

She looked pained and it bothered him. What did she have to tell him? She reached out and gently held his hand. Her warm touch making the heavy feeling in his chest worse.

"I'm going to miss this." He almost missed it but it was enough to make his mind race. "Zuko…I'm… I'm the Av-"

The room became eerily silent. He watched as Hotaru struggled to get the words out, almost like she couldn't will herself speak. Her eyes were wide and she put a trembling hand to her neck.

"Hotaru…What is it?"

A deafening crash suddenly echoed throughout the ship followed by a thunderous roar coming from outside. Yelling and frantic footsteps could be heard in the hallways as the crew members rushed to the lower deck. Zuko gripped Hotaru's shoulders and yelled at her to stay inside before rushing out to the commotion.

Hotaru held on to her neck, eyes wide as she sat unmoving on the cold floor. Tremors so frightening began to take over her body. Dread creeping up inside her to her very core. Something had made her stop talking, completely preventing her from finishing her confession. For that split second, she had no control of her body whatsoever.

A low sinister laugh echoed across the room, sending a chill down her spine. She slowly brought her hands up to cover her ears and shut her eyes tightly, the tears pooling from her blue orbs. The absolute terror that something was inside her was all consuming.