Chapter 16: Dark Water

(Crystal POV)

"You want to do what?!"

It was the sound of Iroh's voice that woke me from my deep sleep. My back was killing me, and my head was splitting. Every muscle in me felt tight and heavy. Somehow, I found the strength to open my eyes. When I did, I was surprised to find I was in a cave. The last thing I could remember from yesterday was healing all of Zuko's burns, and then breaking down into tears. After that everything was a complete blur.

"I have to do this Uncle! If Zhao gets to the Avatar before me, then everything I have worked so hard to achieve will be lost! I won't lose my only way home to that monster!"

Trying to sit up, I immediately grimaced as my muscles burned from the movement. The trauma of yesterday's events had caught up to me. Being thrown off the ship, through a glass window, and into the dark water of the ocean had been a toll on my body.

"You're talking about disguising yourself as a soldier to sneak on the very ship of the man who tried to kill you! Do you realize how irrational that sounds?"

Zuko defended himself. "I'll stay out of Zhao's radar! This is my only chance Uncle!"

Finally I sat up, but I immediately regretted it when the pain in my head only intensified. When I was able to see around me though, I noticed Iroh was standing by a blazing fire while Zuko stood directly in front of him. They both looked desperate, but I knew it was for different reasons.

"Very well," Iroh finally said, sighing heavily in defeat. "I'll return to the ship and see if any of the armor survived." His eyes turned hard then. "But I'm coming too. I don't like the thought of you being anywhere near Zhao alone."

Zuko nodded slowly, knowing he couldn't refuse.

"Now we just have to decide what to do with Crystal…"

I didn't need them to decide for me. I knew what had to be done. "Hand me over to Zhao." My voice came out more tired than I wanted it to sound.

Both Zuko and Iroh whirled around and looked at me with astonishment. Running a hand through my hair, I tried to brush out the salty tangles as much as I could.

"No!" Zuko protested. "Absolutely not! What are you thinking?"

"Crystal," Iroh said with worry. "I think you hit your head a little too hard dear."

I explained. "Zhao will probably doubt that Zuko is really dead. If I'm presented to him then he can hear from one who witnessed the explosion first hand. I can tell him that I saw you die after being thrown overboard. When he believes that you're really dead, it will be easier for you to travel in disguise because Zhao won't suspect he has an intruder amongst his crew."

Iroh seemed to contemplate it. Zuko seemed like he wanted to protest some more.

Finally, Iroh responded. "I suppose that is a good idea… Then once we reach the North Pole I can sneak to whatever prison cell Zhao will hold you in and set you free. You can make a dash for a paddle boat and row to shore. Then you can use your waterbending to get into the city."

I nodded, agreeing with his every word.

Zuko still protested. "No! I don't like the idea of you being Zhao's prisoner! This is not an option!"

Iroh tried to convince him for me. "Prince Zuko… You know Crystal is too short to pass for a soldier. Plus, I don't think she'll be wanting to put on armor anytime soon with those injuries. We're running out of time. This is the only option that makes sense."

"Uncle! Think about this! We have no clue what Zhao will do to her when she's his prisoner! His comment the other month only makes me more terrified! What if… what if he tries to take advantage of her?! Or one of his men?! She will only be in more danger!"

His words sent shivers through my spine. Pulled my knees to my chest for comfort at the horrible thought.

Iroh tried to ease Zuko's worries. "I will keep watch of Zhao's movements, and be sure there is a guard I trust near her cell. If anyone does anything to try and harm her I will step in immediately. Crystal will be fine."

Although Zuko wanted to argue some more, he finally let out a heavy sigh of defeat. About five hours later, Zuko had managed to find some armor from the remaining section of the ship that hadn't been destroyed. Once he was changed, the three of us made our way through the woods towards the area where Zhao's ships were waiting.

The walk took a good hour, and it was a strain on my body which was still sore from the explosion. I hadn't worried about healing my own injuries, too concerned about Zuko's. My back was the worst of the pain, but I kept quiet trying not to complain. However, I was glad to see I had unintentionally healed my broken arm. It felt nice to have two working hands again.

As we headed to the enemy, I felt a slight regret. There was a reason I wasn't stopping Zuko from sneaking onto Zhao's ship. I was too worried about Aang and my family. I wanted to get to the North Pole and help them, and if becoming Zhao's prisoner was the only way then I would do it. But I also knew doing this would most likely end with Zuko and I separated. I felt like our time together was reaching its end.

I loved Zuko so much, but at the end of the day I knew I would have to protect my people...

When we got to the shore where Zhao's fleet awaited, my eyes widened at the sight before me in horror. There were at least thirty ships, massive in size and strength, and each held about a hundred or more men on board. Three thousand men against the North Pole… I didn't like the odds.

Before we stepped further to reveal ourselves to the shipyard before us, we said our good-byes to Zuko. Iroh told him to keep hidden and lay low until we reached the North Pole. He told him to be careful, and that he would be checking on him once the fleet reached its destination. Zuko nodded to let Iroh know he was listening.

Zuko then turned towards me, and I felt my heart ache at the thought of being separated from him. I didn't want to be Zhao's prisoner, but I knew it was the best way to get to my family.

"Be careful," I begged. I looked away embarrassed by my concern. "I mean… I just don't want you to get hurt."

Armored arms encircled me suddenly, and I was pulled to Zuko's body. He had taken his helmet off just for the moment, and I felt him press his face into my hair. I shut my eyes enjoying his embrace.

"Don't worry about me," he said softly. "You need to worry about yourself."

I smiled weakly. "I'm not scared of Zhao." It was a lie, and Zuko knew it.

"If he hurts you again…" Zuko began with a tight voice. "I'll be sure to give him everything he deserves."

Zuko's care lightened my heart more than ever before. Looking up at him, I saw him stare down at me with worry.

"I'll be fine. I promise," I whispered. "Please just be safe… I fear what will happen if you're discovered."

He nodded. He moved his forehead against my own so he could share one last moment with me. "I'll be careful. I love you, Crystal. I always will."

I swallowed and gasped a sob. "I love you too… I'll miss you so much."

Only a breath passed after I spoke, and suddenly his lips were pressing to my own again. My heart jumped at the sudden contact, but I quickly relaxed against him and kissed him back. The kiss was deep and full of longing, and I knew what it meant to Zuko. He was saying good-bye. He knew that once I got into the Northern Water Tribe I was going to find my family. He was right, which only made me sorry it had to be so. I leaned in more, wishing the moment could last forever. I knew we had to go our separate ways once we reached our destination. He had his path, and I had mine. No matter how much I loved Zuko, I knew I had to protect Aang and my family at all costs.

A throat cleared, which ended our moment. We begrudgingly pulled away, wishing Iroh would've given us just a few more seconds. We were both breathing heavily though, which told me our kiss was definitely a passionate one.

Zuko's hand suddenly pressed against my cheek again. I saw from the regret in his eyes that he wasn't ready to leave me. "Be careful… If anything happens to you I-"

My hand pressed against his own, cutting him off. With a weak smile, I said softly, "I'll be fine. You just make sure you beat Zhao..."

He smiled and kissed me on my scarred cheek. "That man's going down… don't worry…"

We pulled apart then, and with heavy hearts went our separate ways. As he left, I felt tears fill in my eyes again. Once Zuko was gone, Iroh and I started to make our way towards the shipyard ourselves. Iroh noticed my sadness as he walked beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You'll see him again."

I hung my head. "Even if I do… We won't be playing on the same side…"

Iroh knew I was right, and his hand only squeezed my shoulder more.

Eventually we reached the largest ship of the fleet, which had its ramp down as soldiers loaded heavy wooden crates onto the vessel. I could only assume the crates were full of weapons and supplies. As we approached, Iroh and I both dropped our expression and held solemn looks. We were supposed to look like we just lost someone, and I hoped we looked sad enough to fool Zhao. Of course, I could play it pretty well. My heart hurt and I really was feeling like I lost Zuko.

One of the soldiers greeted us at the ramp, and when Iroh explained to him our purpose for arriving, the young soldier immediately led us up the ramp and onto the ship. As we headed down the dark halls of the massive vessel, I could tell Zhao's ship was of much more strength and prestige than Zuko's. The walls were made out of finer steel, and the pipes which leaked on Zuko's ship looked shiny and new. The Fire Lord had granted Zhao a powerful vessel for the quest he was about to set out on.

Eventually we reached a door in the upper level of the ship. The soldier knocked, and a moment later Zhao's muffled voice echoed from the other side for us to enter. My heart began to accelerate as I realized then what was about to happen to me. I was about to be Zhao's prisoner. Shivers went up and down my spine.

Iroh placed a comforting hand on my shoulder to remind me I was not alone. I relaxed only slightly. I was still terrified about the imprisonment to come.

The door was opened for us by the soldier, and Iroh and I both entered keeping our heavy-hearted expressions. When Zhao saw us from where he sat at his desk examining maps, his face held a mask of fake surprise.

"General Iroh?" His eyes shot to me with knowing, but he tried to cover the knowledge of the explosion with wide eyes. "Great Agni! What happened to your prisoner?"

His cold voice was enough to have tears fill in my eyes. While the tears were from my fear, they definitely helped our story more. Iroh hung his head and held agony.

"There was an explosion… I had left the ship to go on a walk, so I escaped it alright. Zuko…" He choked up, and I saw from the corner of my eye Zhao's lip turn up. Iroh let out a heavy breath. "Zuko and Crystal were still onboard at the time. When the explosion occurred, Zuko had just managed to reach the bridge room. The explosion threw both Zuko and Crystal out of the room, and into the ocean. Crystal managed to survive since Zuko…" He paused shutting his eyes tightly. "Zuko shielded her from the explosion. When they hit the water she tried to reach for Zuko, but he was too far from her. He sunk down into the dark water, and Crystal had no choice but to swim up for air."

Zhao tried to contain his joy with a frown. I could tell his eyes were shining with thrill. He directed his next question to me. "Is this true?"

Nodding, I hung my head more and felt an increase of tears fall. "There was so much blood… I tried to swim towards him… I tried so hard…" I broke into sobs then. I wasn't sure how I managed to do so, but I did. Katara and Sokka would've been proud of my acting. Zhao was surprised by my sudden break down, while Iroh tried to contain his amusement.

"I see… My condolences to you, Iroh… Please have a seat." He gestured to two chairs bolted to the floor in front of his desk. Iroh and I took a seat, trying to keep our acting up.

Zhao quickly called for some tea, and a few minutes later it was brought to us by Jiho. The man was surprised to find us in the room, and horrified when he saw my condition, but he didn't question anything leaving as silent as he came. Once the tea was provided, Zhao dispersed it to only Iroh. I assumed the prisoner didn't get tea.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko." Zhao shook his head in such a fake manner, it made my insides boil with rage. "Just devastated."

Iroh tried to remain composed. He handed his cup of tea to me. I took it with surprise. He didn't seem concerned about insulting Zhao. Zhao noticed the gesture, rolled his eyes, and poured another cup for Iroh who took it again.

As I sipped the tea, glad to actually have something to satisfy my thirst after not having anything for hours, I listened as Iroh responded to Zhao at last. He too was angry with Zhao, but had to keep up his sorrowful façade. "The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was responsible."

Zhao seemed surprised by Iroh's words. He looked suddenly nervous. "You know who... was behind the attack?"

Iroh suddenly slammed his tea cup down on the desk. Both Zhao and I jumped. "Yes! Pirates! We had a run in with them awhile back… They wanted revenge."

Zhao seemed relieved that Iroh didn't accuse him. "So, have you reconsidered my offer?"

His sudden change in subject only made me boil with more rage. He had probably tried to kill Zuko to also get Iroh to work for him. The thought sickened me. I sipped my tea to keep from commenting on his heartless soul.

Iroh nodded. "Yes, I accept. It will be an honor to serve as your general." He raised his tea in the air. "To the Fire Nation!"

Zhao too raised his cup. "To victory!"

I felt sick.

His eyes shot to me then as he lowered his cup. "So the waterbender... I suppose I can take her under my custody now until we reach the Fire Lord."

Iroh nodded. "Yes… However, I want to be sure that she is not treated too unfairly. She has been nothing but obedient to Zuko and I since we took her as a prisoner. She does not deserve more than she's already gone through."

Zhao smirked. "Of course… I'll be sure she is handled with care. The Fire Lord will no doubt want the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe to be in good condition when she is presented to him. I have an adequate holding cell for her. No worries, General Iroh."

With that said, Zhao called for a soldier to come to the room and retrieve me. He whispered something in the soldier's ear, and as he did so, Iroh grabbed my hand. "I'll check on you soon. Be brave."

I nodded, returning his grasp wishing I could stay with the man for just a while longer. He had been nothing but a father to me in the months I'd known him. I was scared to be separated from him on a vessel full of soldiers I did not know. I hoped maybe some of Zuko's crew were onboard. Some familiar faces would calm me.

Iroh let go of my hand then, and a second later I felt the soldier's hand grab my arm rather roughly. I was yanked up from the chair and pulled out of the room without another word. The soldier forcing me down the hall was strong and tall, probably mid-forties, and his face didn't show any kindness like the men I knew from Zuko's crew. I knew this man was focused on war, and didn't care what happened to a water tribe girl like me.

We went down only one level of the ship, and a second later we arrived at a steel door near the end of the hall. The door had a steel bar on the outside used to lock the door in place.

I was about to be shoved into my prison.

Sure enough, the soldier yanked up the latch and jerked me into the small dark room. The light from the hall revealed to me the room's contents. There was no cot, and there was no blanket. The room was cold, and there were no torches on the wall for light. The only thing the room had was a chamber pot and some chains. Luckily, the soldier didn't put the chains on me. Instead, he stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him. As soon as he did so my world was consumed by darkness. The sound of the latch being dropped to lock me in was deafening in my ears.

While a small bit of light slid under the door, it was very dark. I blindly inched my way through the dark feeling around for the wall. When I felt the cold surface, I turned and pressed my back against it. Sliding down, I sat with my legs pulled to my chest hugging them close for comfort. Pressing my face into my knees for some warmth, I shut my eyes thinking of better days.

I wasn't sure how long I was in my dark prison for. I was aware that in the time I sat alone in the dark, the ship had started to move because my body was jerked around slightly. I felt hunger start to eat at me, but I tried my best to ignore it. There was no telling when Zhao would feed me, so thinking about food would only make me sick.

Some more time passed, and I wondered if maybe they had forgotten about me. It wouldn't surprise me, but I knew Zhao didn't want me to die in my cell. He would earn honor for handing me over to the Fire Lord. He only wanted honor.

The latch being lifted sounded through the air and deafened me. I jumped and covered my ears from the sudden noise. I'd been in the silent dark for so long. The door opened then, and the light from the hall suddenly blinded me. I shut my eyes and turned my head from the burn that shot through my pupils.

"I see Zhao didn't keep too well to his word," Iroh's familiar voice spoke with disapproval. "Go fetch her a blanket and some candles."

My eyes opened slightly, and I managed to focus on Iroh who stood at the doorway. The soldier he had spoken to, placed a lantern down against the wall to give light to my room. Being able to see, I noticed Iroh was dressed in fine Fire Nation attire and held a tray of food.

The soldier seemed hesitant. "Admiral Zhao ordered that we just feed the girl, sir."

"He also said to make me content with my stay on this ship. I'm not content unless I know Crystal is comfortable."

I was surprised with how Iroh was manipulating the soldier. The middle aged man sighed heavily, knowing Iroh spoke true, and then made his way out of the cell to fetch what Iroh had requested.

Iroh let out a heavy breath, and then made his way over to me. The door had been shut and locked, but the lantern left behind gave us light.

"I'm sorry… If I had known this was what your holding was like, I would've come much sooner. Are you cold?" He set the tray in front of me, and I saw it was actually a full blown meal. There was a cup of tea and teapot as well.

"I've been in worse cold," I said softly. Meeting Iroh's eyes, I smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry about me so much. Worry more about your nephew."

Iroh seemed like he wanted to protest, but he decided it wouldn't do any good. "We're headed north as we speak… The fleet should reach the North Pole in two weeks… maybe sooner. When we arrive I will have a trusted guard unlock your cell and lead you to the boats. I'll meet you there and we can paddle to shore so you can enter the Northern Water Tribe."

His plan made sense, and I nodded in agreement and understanding.

After I ate my food, and downed all of my tea, I had to say my goodbyes to Iroh. The soldier had returned at that point with some candle holders and a blanket big enough to wrap around my body for warmth. Before Iroh and the soldier left, Iroh lit the candles in the small circular candle holders, and left the lantern at the door.

"I'll be back tomorrow," he promised. "Get some rest."

The door closed as Iroh and the soldier left me. Silence filled the cell once more, but this time I had light to be my friend. From the warmth of the flames, and the scratchy blanket on my body, I managed to lull to sleep.

It was five days after my imprisonment that Zhao finally showed his face to me. When he entered the cell, I curled into a tight ball, hugging my knees to my chest as I sat against the wall.

"Sorry it took me so long to visit. War can make you quite busy." His cold voice echoing through the room only sent shivers through my spine. "I can see Iroh has been making visits. You don't stink like I thought you would."

I scowled. His insults weren't welcome. "Iroh lets me wash up. At least he's rational. I'm sure the Fire Lord doesn't want a gift that smells like month long dirt and grime."

Zhao grit his teeth at my snarky comment. He didn't appreciate my mouth moving. He shook my defiance aside though. "So tell me… It's Crystal, right?" I didn't give him an answer. He didn't really want one since he continued. "How does it feel to be the last of your kind in the Southern Water Tribe?"

I knew I wouldn't make the same mistake I made with Zuko. I wouldn't reveal Katara's gifts to this monster. I wouldn't reveal anything to this monster. I would stay silent.

"No answer, huh? Well that's alright." He stepped further in the room and approached. "It's a shame you won't get to see any other waterbenders. Once we hit the Northern Water Tribe we're killing each and every one of them."

My eyes widened. I shot my head up at the man in horror.

He seemed amused. "Well… That one got a reaction."

"You can't… You can't be that cruel…"

Zhao knelt in front of me, and I backed against the wall harder. "But I can. You and your people have been nothing but thorns in our side since this war started. We wiped out the Southern Water Tribe easily, but the Northern Water Tribe has been impenetrable. It's time to destroy you all just as we destroyed the Air Nation so long ago." He stood back up, and looked down at me as if I were nothing more than dirt before his boot. "This battle will go down in history. I, Admiral Zhao, will make history! I will be a hero! I will wipe out the Water Tribe completely!" He smirked. "Shame you won't be able to see it… to see you become the last waterbender."

My horror slowly faded and was replaced by fury. The blood of my people being spilled motivated me to make a stand. I would not sit still and silent while my people died.

"No!" I jumped up swiftly and lashed out at the man who was over a foot taller than me. "Leave them alone!" My balled up hand was immediately caught by Zhao, and I grit my teeth as his harsh hold sent my nerves pulsing in pain. The pain didn't stop me from my fury. "You can't do this! You will lose!" Tears started to pour from my eyes. I took a kick at the man, who stepped back with amusement. "You're no hero! You're a monster!"

He yanked my body harshly and I knocked into the steel wall. Then a split second later, I felt the monster kick the back of my leg sending me falling to the ground. "Finally! Some entertainment!" He stood over me as I grimaced from the pain shooting through my leg. My knees were on the steel floor, and my body leaned against the wall as I silently wept. "I've been waiting to get you back for interrupting my Agni Kai so long ago. Pay back feels great!"

He went to grab my arm to yank me up, but I wouldn't let him. With a quick thrust of my hand, I clomped him hard in the jaw. He cried out from the hit and stumbled back. While he tried to catch himself, I tried to scramble to my feet. My hand reached for the door so I could push it open. Before I had the chance though, Zhao's strong hands grabbed me around the waist from behind. He jerked me back from the door and practically threw me at the wall. I hit the metal surface with a crack to the forehead, and my vision blurred. Dropping to the floor again, I felt warm blood slide down the surface of my skin and hit my brow. My head was splitting, and my ears were ringing.

"You'll pay for that one you wench!" His voice was loud, but my eyes were too blurred to see him. "I'm going to kill your pathetic people! Then when I'm done, I'll pour their blood all over this room! You'll be swimming in it by the time I'm done!" He took a moment to breathe from his rage. Then he continued. "I was going to keep you locked up in here, but I've changed my mind… You're coming with me when we arrive at the North Pole. I'll make you watch your people die… You'll get to witness yourself become the last of your kind!"

My vision came back, just enough for me to watch Zhao step back towards me. I tried to move away from him again, but he crouched and grabbed my forearm to jerk me towards him. His other hand grabbed my chin hard. "And then… once I bring you to the Fire Lord, I'll be sure to request he grants you to me as a reward. Imagine the fun we'll have together." His thumb brushed my bottom lip. "You are quite a beauty despite the mark on your face." I grabbed his arm to shove him off.

A knock sounded on the door. A guard stepped in. "Sir… I apologize for the interruption, but you are needed at the helm."

Zhao smirked. His hand released my forearm and grabbed a strand of my dark brown hair. He let it rest between his fingers. "Pity. I was enjoying our time together… but I'm sure we'll have all the time once this mission is a success."

He pulled away from my body and then kicked my two candle bowls over surrounding me with darkness. Then he slammed the door shut, dropped the hatch hard, and walked away. As I was consumed by pain, darkness, and the sound of my sobs, I wished more than anything I was with my family. I was worried about them. I was worried about my people.

I missed Sokka and Katara more than ever.

Zuko POV

The guards around me in the chow hall were oblivious to my disguise. I never took my helmet off, and I usually tried to keep my gaze from everyone. Iroh and I spoke to one another when we crossed paths in the hall, but other than that I was pretty alone. Staring down at my bowl of stew, I moved my spoon in a circular motion through the food.

It really sucked being alone… I knew why… I hadn't been alone much with Crystal by my side. Not having her with me felt like I was missing another piece of me.

Plus, the thought of her being Zhao's prisoner only made my stomach twist in knots. Zhao was cruel and heartless… There was no telling what he was putting her through. Uncle had informed me that so far Zhao and his men hadn't touched her, but I was still very unsettled about the whole thing.

We still had a week before we hit the North Pole. Zhao could do anything to her in that time frame.

I knew my focus should be solely on the Avatar, but I couldn't get her off of my mind.

"I hear Admiral Zhao's as brutal as they say," a soldier suddenly said from the group seated behind me. "Ganj was working prisoner shift earlier. Said he's never heard such a skirmish before."

"Man…" a younger soldier spoke. "Girl must be hurting. I hear the man's got a hard hit."

There was a scoff. Then a gruff voice snapped, "That wench probably deserved it. Waterbenders are sneaky little creatures. She probably did something that Zhao saw as a threat. You got to set waterbenders straight you know… Otherwise they'll kill you instead."

"Still… She's just a teenage girl…" the first soldier began. "It doesn't seem right. Ganj said she hasn't made a sound since. He's afraid she might be seriously hurt."

I didn't wait to hear what the others said. Placing my bowl down, I quickly got up and left the chow hall. No one paid me any mind, and for that I was relieved. My boots clomped against the hall heavily as I headed towards the area Uncle informed me she was being held. My heart pounded in my ears as I feared the worse.

When I got to her cell, I saw a soldier guarding the door with boredom. Heading over to the soldier, I tried to keep my calm. On the inside I was worried sick, but I couldn't let my emotions show. "Hey. I'm here to relieve you. Your duties are done for the day."

The soldier was surprised, and I could see through his helmet vent some uncertainty. "I haven't fulfilled my shift. I was told I'd be here until midnight."

I kept my cool. "Plans changed. Orders from Commander Fue."

The man sighed heavily. "Fine." He stepped away from the door. "Prisoner shouldn't give you any trouble, anyway. She's been quiet. Admiral Zhao threw her around pretty rough." He left then, heading down the hall towards the stairs to go below. Once he rounded the corner and disappeared, I looked around to make sure no one would spot me. Then quickly, I yanked up the metal bar that stretched across the door, and quickly headed inside.

The room was dark, and as soon as the door shut behind me it felt like I was in a closed up box. Already I hated the thought of Crystal being in such an awful place. Lighting a flame in my hand to illuminate the room, it took me a moment to focus on my surroundings. When I did, I was horrified by what I saw.

Crystal was beaten up like the guards all said. Her body was laying on a very rough looking blanket, and her breathing was very shallow. As I stepped over to her, I found a candle holder that was tipped over. Quickly placing it back straight, I lit the candle to illuminate the room on its own. Then I cut off my flame and broke the distance between Crystal and myself.

From what little light I had, I could see Zhao had been pretty rough on her. She had an awful cut on her forehead that was caked by dry blood. From what I could see, she also had bruises on her arms. Picking up her hand, I could tell her knuckles were bruised as well; I had a feeling that was from fighting back though.

"I knew this was a bad idea," I said softly. "I should've never agreed to this."

Kneeling beside her, I ran my hand through her hair wishing I could do more. Seeing her in so much pain made my gut wrench, and I didn't want to leave her side. As I stroked her hair, I heard her groan slightly in pain. Her mind began to slip back into consciousness, and soon her heavy eyelids were trying to open.

"Zuko…?" She was trying to come to her consciousness, but I could tell the pain made her want to sink back to sleep.

"I'm here," I reassured. Then I felt a burning in my gut that was no longer worry. The burning was rage. Zhao had crossed the line. Zhao had hurt someone I cared about… He would pay. "Zhao did this to you?"

Her eyes slowly opened. Azure orbs met my amber in the fire light. "I think I hurt his pride… He got socked in the jaw by a teenage girl." Her voice was tired, but I could tell she was trying to keep me calm. She could see I was getting angry.

She rolled a bit, and I saw her weakly sit up. Her hair fell in messy waves framing her face. A few strands loosely fell in front of her. I had to resist the urge to brush them aside.

"You shouldn't be here," she spoke again. "You'll be caught."

Taking my helmet off, I set it to the side. My knees rested on the steel floor and my hands balled into fists on my lap. "I heard talk from the other soldiers. I was worried."

She grimaced. "It wasn't that bad. He just threw me around a bit. He wanted to make sure I knew who was boss." She hung her head, and I could see something was troubling her. "He was egging me on, and I took the bait."

"What did he say?"

She bit her lip. Her eyes started to water. "He… he said my people would end up like the airbenders… He said I'd be the last of my kind…"

Her words didn't surprise me at all. I'd heard from the soldiers around me that they weren't planning on allowing any to survive. It was going to be a massacre. Of course I would have no part of it, and neither would Uncle… We weren't the killing type. Uncle was focused on my well-being, and I was focused on capturing the Avatar. Killing wasn't my plan. However, that didn't mean the same for everyone else onboard. Some men didn't care about the lives of anyone other than the Fire Nation. In the Fire Nation, soldiers were taught to focus on the goal at hand and ignore any doubt. Killing the Water Tribe wouldn't make any of Zhao's brigade lose sleep.

"Are you hurting?" I tried to change the subject. Mostly because I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't want to tell the truth. What was I supposed to say? I couldn't tell her that the Water Tribe would most likely fail. I didn't have the heart to tell her that she would probably be the last of her kind in the months to come. I couldn't bear the thought of breaking her heart.

She noticed I changed the subject, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she answered, "No… I was just stunned." She pressed her hand to the scratch on her forehead. "The pain is barely noticeable now. I think I'll be okay."

I nodded. I wasn't really convinced. I wished I could do more for her. I hated being useless and unable to protect her. "Do you need anything? I can talk to Uncle… Are you cold? I'm sure there's some extra blankets lying around some-"

"You need to go," she said softly. "Don't worry about me." Her broken tone cut me off. I stopped my rambling and looked at her with agony. I knew she was trying to protect me, but I hated the thought of being away from her. "I'll be fine. I'm a big girl… You need to worry more about yourself."

"Crys-"

"Zuko… Please…" She looked at me really wanting the opposite. She wanted me to stay with her. She didn't want to be alone. However, she didn't want me to be captured and killed. "You need to go before someone notices. I don't want you getting hurt."

Her concern for me only made me want to stay more. I knew she was right though… I needed to go. Someone would notice soon, and then my cover would be blown.

"I'll get Uncle to check on you for me…" I reached forward and brushed my thumb against her cheekbone. The warm familiar contact comforted me somehow. "You'll be fine."

I went to stand. She grabbed my arm to stop me. "Iroh wasn't going to help me get into the North Pole, was he?"

Her question took me off guard.

I hung my head, realizing we were caught. "No… There was no way we'd let you get into such danger." She released my arm, and I picked up my helmet putting it back on my head. "The plan is for you and Uncle to paddle to shore. He is supposed to keep you there until I arrive with the Avatar. Once we're all boarded we're heading a straight line back towards the Earth Kingdom. There, we'll find passage back to the Fire Nation." Turning, I went to the head towards the door. Her words stopped me.

"Well plans changed… Zhao's taking me on shore."

Her words shocked me. "What?!" I whirled around with horror. "What are you talking about?!"

She had a tear escape her. She let her hair fall before her face in defeat. "My punishment… He wants me to watch my people die. He wants me to witness myself becoming the last of my people."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was going on shore! She was going into the North Pole. She wouldn't be able to handle such a massacre! It would destroy her!

"I'm going to talk to Uncle. He needs to know about this!" Jerking around, I reached quickly to push the door open.

"It won't matter…" Her broken voice stopped me. My hand faltered against the door. "None of it will matter… My people are going to die. My brother and sister are in danger…" Her voice cracked. "I should be with them. I should die with them…" She sniffled. "You and Iroh can't do anything for me now… When I go to shore, I'm going to break away from Zhao. I'm going to help my people fight. I'll die doing the right thing."

I grit my teeth. Her nobility made my heart feel like a knife had just slashed through it. The thought of her being dead made me sick to my stomach.

"You won't die. I'll be sure of that."

Shoving the door open, I stepped into the hall and shut it behind. As I closed the latch back down, the sob that sounded from the other side of the door was enough to make me hate myself for leaving.