A/N: Wow, I feel the difference in the amount of comments. =/ Don't get me wrong, I really DO appreciate those who still keep commenting, that's why I keep writing, but I just feel I need more not of compliments but of like suggestions or opinions…if not, how do I know what I'm doing is right? I don't do writing as a hobby, I REALLY want to do this as a career cause it's my passion. So PLEASE comment with your thoughts so I know what you like and don't like, and with stuff of course like grammar/spelling…thanks so much. Hope you like this chapter, though I personally think my last one was better.
Song: "Faint" by Linkin Park.
Why?: I LOVE this song and have wanted to use it for awhile now but haven't found the right chapter to go along with it. It may not even be JUST right for this chapter, but I just couldn't wait to use it anymore. xD Please listen, it really pumps me up. lol.
Chapter 28 ~ Without Her
Katara was still thinking about how she was going to break the heart of someone she cared about, when she saw Ty Lee coming from the opposite direction and, without thinking, waved.
"There you are Katara! I've been looking for you,"
Ty Lee bounced in her step as she made her way toward the other girl and took hold of her hand lightly. Katara tried to look interested for the former circus girl's sake.
"Hey Ty Lee, what's up?"
Ty Lee put on her most sad face, "One of the Kyoshi Warriors are injured and need your help, hurry!" As she said this, the jumpy girl was already moving toward a different direction, never being able to stop moving even when she was standing still.
Katara nodded anxiously in concern as her mothering nature kicked in and made her forget all about her problems and she ran with Ty Lee down a winding road…
*~*~*~*
Sokka and Suki were heaving and out of breath by the time they raced through Aang's door and found the Avatar pacing a hole on the floor while Toph gazed on boringly with crossed arms. Everyone suddenly stopped and stared at each other with a new stress of worry in their expressions.
"What's wrong? Where's Katara?!" Aang was the first to ask as his heart stuttered with his inmost feared thoughts.
"No…time…" Sokka panted, still uselessly trying to catch his breath. Suki was already fine so she finished her boyfriend's sentence rapidly,
"Madam Velvet left us a note saying we have to find Katara, she's in trouble!"
Aang didn't know who Madam Velvet was, but at the moment, he didn't care. All he needed to understand was that Katara was in trouble, and he wasn't going to lose her again.
He instantly turned on Toph, "You said she was heading over here when you talked to her!"
"And she was!" Toph lowered her arms and balled her hands into tight fists, "She was just down the road."
Aang's anger and mind were already in a frenzy as he grabbed his glider stick and grumbled, "I should have gone after her instead of waiting like you said."
He ran out the door but before flying off, he turned his head back and yelled to his friends, "Don't tell Zuko!" And with an angry gust of wind, he was off.
Sokka and Suki stared off worryingly until Toph stomped her foot and claimed their attention by ordering, "Why are you just standing there?! Go get Sparky!!"
"But Aang said…"
"I don't care what Twinkle Toes said! Go get Zuko or Katara will be kidnapped again!"
Without another word, the two messengers went out running again and Toph kicked a chair that was in her way as she also made her way outside and mumbled,
"And I'll be damned if I'm left behind doing nothing."
*~*~*~*
The former Fire Lady was looking out her window again, waiting for the perfect moment when Ty Lee would arrive with her. She'd been planning this and what she wanted to do and now she could do it. Unleash all her hate and anger toward that vile little Water-bender…nothing was wrong with a little fighting match, was there?
But Mai was so distracted with her thoughts, the usually keen knife-thrower didn't hear the person behind her until he spoke.
"Hello old friend."
Mai didn't need eyes to see who it was, for she already knew that tone of voice that was so very calm yet boiling with an undermining edge. For the first time her steady hands shook as she fought to control herself. Only one man could bring this reaction out of expressionless Mai – and she had hoped him dead a long time ago.
"What's wrong Mai? Are you so shocked that you can't look into your past fiancée's eyes?"
Mai turned so fast her kimono rustled as she glared into ice blue eyes.
"You were never my fiancée." Was her stout greeting.
Sky slyly smiled down at her, "I was planning on purposing to you, but got too caught up serving our Princess' duties."
Mai's heart leapt frantically in her chest at the thought of a proposal and Azula in the same sentence. She turned back to the window, "What do you want?"
Sky took a deep breath and stepped next to Mai while discreetly brushing his fingers at the small of her back as he talked,
"Just wanted to see how my old companions were doing. I see you're quite well, though I'm slightly disappointed to find our Princess has turned completely mad. How's Ty Lee?"
The way he casually seemed to skip from the topics of madness to day-to-day activities turned Mai's blood cold…and she was very much aware of his pressing fingertips through her silky maroon kimono.
She shrugged carelessly, as if it was a matter of no importance, "She's fine."
"Hm." Sky nodded, trying to catch a look at Mai's avoiding gaze as he smoothly ran his fingers upward, along her spine. "Why won't you look at me Mai?"
He asked in a sad whisper, but Mai knew his advantage, and refused to play his game.
"When you stop trying to hypnotize me Sky, I will."
His hand suddenly stopped its gliding caress, and Sky chuckled as he let it drop. "I can't trick you, can I, Blades?"
He asked sarcastically as Mai unwillingly turned back to his piercing gaze. In that instance she saw everything in his eyes and knew exactly why he had come here.
Sky nodded as his light humor vanished, "I know where Ty Lee is."
Mai's eyes narrowed as she let out a short witty laugh, "Of course you do. I had a feeling this was going to be about her."
"I don't want you hurting the Water-bender." His voice was dark, threatening.
Mai turned back to the window's refuge. "What is she to you? She loves Zuko…my Zuko! And there's nothing any of us can do about it…ah!"
Mai's back twisted as Sky blood-bended her to face him and his whole being now radiated from that hateful venom called jealousy.
"Katara is mine…mine! If your Zuko cares to take her from me, he'll have to face a personal Agni Kai with me!" He made that sound as if it was the worst challenge Zuko would have to face in his life.
Mai's chest rose and fell as she struggled for breath, and squinted, "It's a little too late for that, isn't it?! Their already together! They've kissed, Ty Lee saw them."
Sky blinked in confusion for a few seconds until he understood…all too well. "No…"
He whispered horribly. Mai made a strange chocking sound as the Blood-bender's mood changed. "Sky…you're…I…can't…"
Sky's eyes flicked to hers and he loosened his control on her blood. Mai leaned against the wall to not fall over; one hand to her chest, the other discreetly reaching for a dagger. But before she could swing, Sky already contorted her hands behind her back, and was inches from Mai's face.
"If you still value your life, you will not harm her. I'll handle this. Promise me…"
Sky's hand once again slid along her side while he stared intensely into her golden eyes. Mai tried to resist, to close her eyes…
"Promise me…" He insisted again, an angry edge to his hypnotic tone.
Mai finally sighed in defeat and said in a small voice, "I promise."
He immediately let her go and walked toward the door, until Mai called out to him and asked sadly, tears filling her own eyes,
"Why would you plan on marrying me? If you never…if you wanted her so badly?"
The cold Blood-bender's shoulders slightly hunched with the weight of that question; until he finally turned and answered in a shaken voice, that felt as if it had been broken for trying to be restrained so,
"Because I tried to live without her…and I couldn't."
