Ok so here is ch. 28 earlier than usual, but this will be the only time; my schedule will be back to normal next week. Also I decided to be nice so after this chapter you will also have ch. 29 to read. Enjoy and continuing with the story!
Chapter Twenty – eight:
-Katara-
I sat on the bed as patiently as I could as we waited for Toph and Zuko to return. Once they were inside Toph went to stand near my brother – I don't know why but I still have trouble remembering his name – but Zuko just stayed by the door with his arms crossed over his chest, eyes down staring at the floor. Aang spoke up again once everyone was present. "So now that you know everything…Zuko," he addressed, "once we find Appa you don't have to worry about taking care of Katara. We can take it from here. But we really appreciate what you have done."
I couldn't take this. I was not about to have others speak for me. "Stop!" I demanded. From my peripheral vision I noticed Zuko's head snap up as his gaze returned to me. "What do you think you're doing?"
Aang stared at me confused. "What do you mean?"
I met everyone's gaze, saving Zuko for last. "I'm not going anywhere."
Aang and my brother gawked at me as if I were speaking another language. Toph seemed to be smirking while Zuko never took his eyes off me. His golden gaze penetrating. I went over to stand by him and I took hold of his hand. "You may not be happy with my decision and I may have no idea why you two hate him so much, but that doesn't change how I feel. I made a promise with Zuko that I would not leave until I can take care of myself. I can do that now, but I also feel safe with him and I have been with him for a month already. You can't just expect me to leave Zuko without a second thought."
"But Katara-"
"No Sokko."
"Sokka" he corrected me.
"Sorry. But regardless my decision is final." Turning my attention to Zuko I asked, "If…if you don't mind me staying a little longer?"
Zuko squeezed my hand. "No, I don't mind."
I smiled. Then I turned my attention back to the others. With finality in my voice I said, "I'm not leaving."
No one dared argue with me.
The next few days flew by following a similar pattern. Aang, Toph, and my brother would go back to their house in the Upper Ring each night so they could sleep once they – meaning my brother mostly – were convinced that I was safe with Zuko and his Uncle. Then they would return in the morning shortly after we had woken up. Iroh was always kind enough to make everyone breakfast before it was time to go to work at the teashop. My brother seemed to be a bottomless pit that it was just downright embarrassing. Other than his eating habits our mornings together were rather pleasant.
One of the mornings I finally learned that Aang was the last air bender Zuko had mentioned that felt like ages ago. At first it didn't make any sense because he confirmed his age of 12. Then Aang explained that he was frozen in an iceberg for 100 years after he went into the Avatar State; a defense he naturally has. It did make sense after a while, but I did ask Zuko later on why he never mentioned anything about the Avatar. "'I would have told you, but it always slipped my mind while I was taking care of you. I'm sorry.'" Zuko forgetting was completely understandable to me so I was able to forgive him, but after I made him promise to always tell me if there was something important I need to know; no more hiding whether it was intentional or not. Zuko had grimaced, but agreed.
After breakfast the three of them would go to do their own things. My brother continued to try to find clues to find Aang's lost sky bison…Appa. Aang would either be helping him or he would be practicing his earth bending with Toph. When Toph wasn't doing that she was waiting in the teashop for us to finish work for the day. At the end of our work day we would all meet up outside the shop and walk back to the apartment together. My brother would usually end up complaining about his day and/or lack of success on finding Appa. He really could be rather whiny at times, but I guess he's been having a lot of bad luck lately. We would eat dinner together and would socialize for at least another hour or so before the three of them returned to their house. During that time Zuko would keep to himself in our room. The one time I was asked to check on him by Iroh I found him at the desk working on something with only two candles for a source of light. When I made my presence known he had immediately covered what he was working on with his hand and as I turned away he stuffed it into his pocket. I didn't dare ask what it was, figuring it was very unlikely that I would receive an answer.
But once the three of them had left and Iroh had gone to sleep Zuko and I would finally get to talk like we usually would. The night I told the others I wasn't leaving I told him that the nightmare I had about the woman had been real and that she really was my mother. I cried that night as he held me within the comfort of his arms until I was able to calm down enough to go to sleep.
Our schedule continued like this. Until one day as we were leaving the teashop for the last time.
Today a man from the Upper Ring came to try Iroh's tea and offered him his own teashop with a brand new apartment for us. Iroh was thrilled and quickly accepted. We hung up our aprons for the last time that day. Zuko didn't seem excited, but I knew he was for his Uncle; he just didn't like the idea of serving tea, but he never said it out loud. Iroh told the others and they were excited for him as well. They talked amongst themselves as Zuko and I walked – hand in hand – behind them. Lucky for me Zuko never noticed how much him just holding my hand made me blush. Just before we could go in they had stopped. Peering out from behind them I saw that boy – Jet – with his two friends waiting for us.
Zuko's hold of my hand became slightly tighter. "Jet what are you doing here?" Aang asked.
Jet looked left and right before he spoke. "We better talk inside." Strange, I noted to myself but regardless we all followed them into our apartment. Once we were all inside Zuko went to our room and came back out shortly wearing dark olive green pants and a sleeveless shirt that was also dark olive green. On his feet he wore black boots. Oh yeah, he had been complaining about the heat today, I remembered. I guess being a fire bender and it being a warm day doesn't mix well together. Jet didn't even notice he had returned for he had started speaking to all of us. "Listen Sokka was right when he said I had been brain washed." The others were shocked when I vaguely remembered this being mentioned but I thought they had just been joking. "That's why I couldn't remember who Katara was with until after I talked to you guys. I started to get flashbacks that finally make sense. Before I knew you guys were here I had gone to the Dai lee to report that Katara was here and that she may be in danger because I thought there was something dangerous about these two," he pointed to Iroh and Zuko. "Well mainly him." He kept his gaze on Zuko. He growled low in his throat just loud enough for me to hear. I put my hand on his shoulder to get him to calm down. "Anyway they took me away and convinced me that there was no danger, no war, nothing but this messed up utopia they want to try to keep. Yesterday I finally remembered where they took me."
"Where?" Toph and my brother said at exactly the same time.
"Underneath Lake Laogai."
"You're sure?" Zuko asked carefully.
"That's right. What's really important is that I think that they may have a cell big enough to hold Appa."
"Appa is here!" Aang shouted excitedly. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!"
"I want to come!" I yelled.
Zuko grabbed my forearm as I tried to turn around. I thought he was about to argue, but instead he said, "If you go then I go." With that he went back to our room and secured to his back were his duo swords when he returned. With him all set – and Iroh saying that there was no arguing with him about coming along too – we followed Jet to Lake Laogai.
When we got there I didn't see anywhere that could have had a hidden tunnel. However that was not a problem for Toph. She just marched along the beach nonchalantly and made the entrance visible for all of us. "Maybe Katara could stay with Iroh and be the lookout incase in any Dai lee agents show up" Aang suggested. "Only if it's ok with you."
Thinking it over I rationalized I probably would be more useful out here since my water bending was still pretty weak. So I conceded. "You're not leaving me out next time there is a problem" I warned them.
"Wouldn't dream of it" Aang promised and with that he started down the ladder with Jet and his two friends following behind. Before Zuko could follow my brother grabbed him by his collar.
"Oh no you don't!" he stated. "We can do this without you." Obviously he still doesn't like him. Holding Toph's hand they both headed down underneath the lake without another word.
Zuko growled loudly. "I really wish your brother wasn't such a pain."
"Somehow I get the feeling that he will never change" I commented.
"True." The three of us headed back up the hill so as to have a better view of the lake in case someone did come. "Uncle I need you to wait here with Katara while I go down there." He turned his back after Iroh nodded his head yes.
"Wait!" I shouted as I chased him down the hill. He stopped halfway. "What are you doing?"
"Going to prove your brother wrong and find Aang's sky bison" he stated smugly.
"Zuko-" I started to complain but he cut me off.
"No, I'm going to try to help. But don't worry I'll be careful. It's not like they could catch me anyway" he laughed once. I smiled and he stroked my cheek. "I'll be back shortly." I nodded and he ran down the hill, disappearing underneath the lake.
-Zuko-
I don't appreciate being told what I can and cannot do, especially by Katara's older brother. Hold a grudge against me all you want but that doesn't mean I will listen to you. With that mentality I wandered through the Dai lee headquarters, as silently as if I were in my Blue Spirit disguise – which I had to leave at the apartment or else the others would notice – ducking behind walls until I spotted a very large cell. Carefully I opened and I grinned inwardly. Don't need my help huh? I thought smugly as my gaze landed upon Aang's giant sky bison. Step one: find the bison. Easy. Now came the hard part. Step two: how to get the bison out unnoticed and without it trying to attack me.
The bison was not at all too thrilled to see me there. He started growling. Closing the door I slowly approached, careful not to draw my swords just yet. For a few minutes we just seemed to find ourselves glaring at each other. For a split second I honestly considered just leaving him here; that way they couldn't take Katara away from me. But then Toph's words from a few days ago came rushing back. "'You know sometimes for a person to be happy you have to push aside your feelings.'" I knew she was right. If Katara ever knew I thought about leaving him here she would be disappointed and then there is also the fact that Aang misses his bison like crazy. So pushing my feelings aside I found myself talking to the animal in order to calm it down. "You want to see Aang again don't you?" I asked feeling like an idiot. It's not like the animal can understand, right? To my amazement the animal calmed noticeably. "And you also want to see Sokka and Toph…and Katara?" The animal grunted as if agreeing with me. "Fine. Then hold still and I'll have you out of here soon." With that I unsheathed my swords and sliced at the chains.
-Katara-
Everything seemed to happen in a blur. Iroh and I were sitting on the hill keeping an eye out, but seeing no one. Suddenly I felt the earth start to shake slightly and we both started to head down the hill more to see Aang, Toph, and my brother running out of the exit. Jet and his two friends were missing. That can't be a good sign. Zuko was nowhere to be seen. Then I saw many men chasing them. Those had to be the Dai lee agents they were talking about. Without any warning they were surrounded with walls that the men earth bent. I honestly thought they were done for. But then a huge shadow passed over them. When I looked up I saw the huge sky bison.
"Appa!" Aang shouted excitedly. The animal rammed his head through the walls sending all the men flying. Then the man I could assume was the leader got ready to fight him, but the animal wouldn't have any of that. Instead he bit his leg and threw him into the lake. Once we finally made it down the hill I heard Aang whispering to him with tears streaming down his eyes. "I missed you Appa" I heard.
I felt tears prick at my eyes and then I felt a warm, comforting hand on my shoulder. Turning around I was met with golden eyes that still reminded me of a sunrise. "Zuko!" I shouted and jumped into his arms. He caught me easily and even lifted me off the ground for a split second before setting me down. Everyone, but the two of us were surrounding Appa. "I see you got him out?" I asked slyly. Zuko nodded once. "Thank you."
"You're welcome" he said and we walked over to the animal.
Appa turned his head toward me and I froze. He sniffed at me and licked me with his huge tongue. At least he didn't leave any slobber, but I was still grossed out. "Oh, EW!"
Appa seemed confused, but Aang patted his head. "Don't worry boy, she'll remember you soon."
He grunted and I smiled at him. Hesitantly I patted his head and he seemed to growl in the good way; like I was petting his favorite spot. Then I asked the one question that was eating away at me. "What happened to Jet?"
Aang, Toph, and my brother looked down sadly. "He didn't make it" Aang said sadly. "The leader of the Dai lee, Long Feng, injured him badly. Longshot and Smellerbee wouldn't let us help him."
Everyone remained quiet. I leaned into Zuko for support and he kept me close to his side. Then, silently, we all climbed onto Appa's head as we all flew away together.
