Seems like I didn't manage to update my other stories (except for the drabbles), but I DID work on on them! Most of the chapters are ALMOST finished, I'll just have to send them in. AND I've missed the deadline, AGAIN. Don't hate me for not updating, please! I had an hamster-incident at home and we were on a holiday, so technically it's not really my fault...Okay it is, but whatever.

Anyway, let's continue, shall we?

Oh! Oh! I'm working on the extra Zutara-thing I'd write! And it isn't JUST a Zutara-thing, it's a brand new story! It won't be very long, I'm trying to get in six or seven longer chapters, since too long stories take too much of my time. You have NO idea how much of my time this story takes... But the new one will be shorter, and easier to read. (Zutara of course, with implied Taang hints) I'll send it in once I've finished it, and there's a short summary about it on my profile. But believe me: it's dark. Very, VERY dark Zutara.

(See? I am NOT dead, NOT busted by the police and NOT grounded!XD)

Chapter 50

Fight

Hakoda shook hands with Huang, who seemed to be in a wonderful mood. Though Hakoda barely noticed, he was too busy looking for Zuko. Where could that boy be? He didn't trust him, not even for one million goldpieces. Something just wasn't right about him, he could smell it.

'Where is that Zuko-boy?' he asked aloud. But before Iroh could even try to answer his question, Aang pulled Zuko with him in the room, Katara following them. Aang smiled brightly – as always – and Zuko tried to hide the stress dripping off his face. Aang was holding a glass of water, giving it to Zuko.

'Mister Hakoda?' Aang asked nicely. 'Are you ready for the greatest bending of the greatest bender on earth?' Hakoda wanted to answer "no", but swallowed that back in anyway. Zuko bit on his lip and stared at the water. How the fuck was he supposed to do this? He couldn't just FIREbend the water!

So he simply threw the glass of water up a bit, making the water in it splash up against the ceiling. Everyone was looking up at the wet spot on the ceiling, while Huang rubbed his hand over his chin and looked over to Katara. 'I thought that Zuko was a firebe- Ah!' He couldn't finish his sentence, since Toph had him in her strong, hard grip. Her hand was pressing his throat together and her arm was locked around his chest.

'One more word and I'll strangle you until you're gasping for air!' she whispered harshly. Huang quickly nodded and released himself from her grip as fast as he could, while Katara sighed in relief.

Hakoda laughed with Zuko's so called bending, tears of laughter nearly streamed over his cheeks. Zuko felt like shrinking to the size of an ant, but unfortunately such things were impossible.

'Uhm... I think I have to confess something...' he mumbled quietly, fumbling at the dress he still wore a bit. 'I'm... I'm...'

'-A warrior!' Sokka said, interrupting him. Zuko wanted to react to that, but once again he was interrupted. 'A warrior?' Hakoda repeated after his son. Sokka nodded and pulled Zuko closed, his arm over his shoulder, making it seem like they were the best friends on earth.

'Yep!' Sokka said. 'One of the best warriors of his tribe!'

Hakoda's face seemed to light up when he heard the words "best" and "tribe". 'The best warrior of your tribe, huh?' he said, smiling. 'So you're from the northern watertribe?'

Zuko quickly nodded, since this seemed like a great lie to use. 'Exactly! That's my home!'

Hakoda didn't notice Katara rolling her eyes, while he continued his conversation with Zuko. 'But why is your hair black? And what about the scar?' he asked, suddenly a bit suspicious about him again. Zuko bit on his lip and used the first excuse he could find.

'My, uhm... Grandmother was a firebender's slave, and that firebender had got her pregnant. But instead of killing the baby after the birth, she had been brave and raised her son like a watertribe boy. And that boy married my mother, had three children with her and lived happily ever after. My hair's just black because of some unwanted family bounds.'

Hakoda nodded again and seemed to believe his lie. 'I see... But what about your scar?' he asked again. Zuko wanted to answer, but the words seemed to be stuck in his throat. No, he couldn't talk or lie about the scar, that would only make him feel worse. What was he supposed to say?

'A mark a firebender gave him.' Elder said, who seemed to understand why Zuko was telling all those lies. 'He had been protecting the tribe a few years ago, when a foul firebender had attacked him. But as you can see, the firebender was no match for the almighty witertribe.'

That last part made Hakoda smile, and Zuko sigh in relief. Now THAT was a very nice excuse!

'Well then,' Hakoda continued, 'you seem not so bad after all, Zuko.'

Two moments after that, Haru cried. He cried and cried like he had never cried before, making everyone on the ship wince. Katara and Zuko both exclaimed "Haru!" and rushed over to their bedroom, to check their baby.

When they arrived there, they saw the baby still laying in his cradle, crying almost hysterically. Katara hung over the cradle and took the child in her arms, rocking it from one side to another and trying to sooth it.

'Shh... Haru, sweety, shh... What's wrong, my baby? Are you hungry? Does your tummy hurt?' Of course the baby didn't answer, it just kept on crying. Zuko looked around and tried to find the cause of this crying, but his heart missed a beat when he saw Hakoda staring at them. Katara bit on her lip and walked over to her father, holding Haru close and caressing his head a bit. 'Uhm, dad, I'd like you to meet Haru, our baby.'

This time Hakoda's heart was the one missing a beat, and he stared at the baby, completely shocked. 'You... Your baby?' he repeated. Katara nodded and he couldn't help to gasp. His daughter... A mother? Now? On her fifteenth? Someone was going to PAY for this!

His eyes seemed to shoot fire at Zuko, and he was furious. Really, really furious.

'YOU!' he shouted, pointing at his son-in-law. He rushed over to him and pulled him up by his collar, causing him to gasp for air. 'You got my precious daughter pregnant! How DARE you to sleep next to her, how DARE you to even look at her!'

Zuko wanted to react to that, but he could hardly speak. Katara glared at her father and pulled Zuko down, holding the baby close to her. 'Hey!' she snapped. 'Whether you like it or not, dad, I love this child! As much as I love this man! How dare YOU to speak to him like that?'

Hakoda opened his mouth to speak, but his daughter wouldn't let him. She brought Haru up to his face and gave him a sudden smile. 'You're a grandfather, daddy, you should be happy.'

Hakoda stared at Haru, who stared straight back at him. This was too much for him, too much for him on his age. He was getting too old for this. What on earth had he done wrong? What on earth had he missed? Was he a bad father, or was his daughter just a bad woman? Or was it Zuko's fault? What was he supposed to say or do? Luckily for him, his anger would take care of that last part. His hand shot out and slapped Katara in the face. 'Shut up!' he snarled. More was supposed to come, but Katara stopped him. She slapped him back, and that certainly was too much for him.

His hand smacked her in the face again, only harder this time. Now he could do his sermon. 'You are a SCANDAL to our wonderful tribe! That you've lost your virginity is something I can handle, you're engaged after all, but that you've given birth to a child without being married is horrible! Indignation! Disgrace! Affront!'

Katara felt tears burning behind her eyes, and she held Haru tight. 'Nobody calls my baby a scandal! What on earth gave you to courage to speak to me like that, I'm still your daughter!' Hakoda wanted to hit her again, but Zuko's hand locked around his wrist. He gave his father-in-law a dangerous glare and pulled Katara behind his back.

'Get away from my family!' he snapped. Hakoda grabbed Zuko by his throat and pulled him up, just to throw him away somewhere else in the room. He walekd back to his daughter and pulled her closer by her arm. 'Do you WANT me to hit you, Katara?! You have to learn a lesson about rules and dignity! Because that clearly is something I forgot to tell you about!'

Zuko rushed back and firmly kicked him against his shinbone, before pulling Katara close. Katara was pressing Haru's tiny body against her and pressed herself against Zuko's chest. Zuko held her tight and glared at Hakoda, while he caressed Haru's head.

'You should be ashamed of yourselves! Hitting your own child is something a decent father could NEVER do, I can't believe you actually did that to Katara!' He soothed Haru a bit and looked back up at him. 'I would never harm Haru, want to know why? Because he's my son, that's why! I love him with all of my heart, perhaps YOU should learn something about love too!'

He still held Katara close and guided her to the door, while he kept his gaze locked on Hakoda. 'Come on, Katara, let's go somewhere else. Your father is scaring Haru.'

Zuko realized his father-in-law would hate him for sure now, but he could care less. His family was the most important to him now.

Yep, short chapter, I know, but I just HAD to update today. Oh, and I'm working hard on the new story I promised!

Here's something you probably should know: 1. my youtube account is deleted, but I don't quite care. I'll make a new one someday and send in all my vids again.

2. I have an offer for you. If you'd like to see one the OC-characters, then tell me which one. I'll sketch him/her and put him/her on deviantart. You can also ask me to draw a specific scene of one of my stories, if you'd love to see that one on paper. Just describe me the scene a bit, tell me which paragraph or something and from which story it is. Put your choice in a review or PM, or perhaps an e-mail. I'll enable the access to my e-mail address now.

So remember: choose your favorite OC/scene and put it in your review/pm/mail! And then I'll do my very best to draw it for you. (I have to practice my drawing anyway) Oh, and for those who don't have a favorite OC/scene, just review, please? Pretty please? The more you review, the sooner you'll have the next chapter!:)

REVIEW!:D And remember to check my profile for the future story's summary! (DARK summary) All hail dark Zutara!