A/N:

Back with this week's chapter! Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 43:

"Ka-Kata-"

Pressing her finger up to his stuttering lips, Katara shook her head and gazed at him with a somber look. "We will talk more soon when this evening is over. Just tell me how my son is." She asked him in almost a plead.

Zuko felt he was imagining things but as she moved her finger from his lips, he realized it was her. He wasn't imagining things. He had felt her touch him and he had heard his name from her lips. Despite the black hair and gold eyes, this was indeed Katara. He'd ask her how or what or why but she already said she'd talk more later. Maybe talk about that with him. So he could understand how this was even happening.

Closing his mouth as he realized it was still open, Zuko tried forming the words to say what he wanted but before he could, Azula showed up and slapped his ass.

"Oh, look at you, Zuzu. Long time no see."

Zuko immediately pulled away as he saw his sister throw her arm around Katara. What the hell is going on?!

Pressing her lips to Katara's ear, "My father is open. You might want to make a move now."

Nodding her head, Katara glanced at Zuko before tearing her eyes off of him.

"Kat-"

Azula grabbed her brother's hand and pulls him to her, "How about you dance with me and I'll tell you a little bit about what's going on here, hmm?"

Uhara and Kya were greeted by some of the Fire Nation nobles. They had light conversations and talked about politics. Some asked about the relationship status between the two. Kya answered for them, stating that they were courting with the prospect of marriage on the horizon. They wondered what the wait was and Uhara told them that there were a few things they both needed to work out before that came.

Excusing themselves, Uhara asked Kya to dance with him and she obliged happily. Holding one hand to his shoulders as his arm wrapped around her waist, Kya held his hand as they moved to the music just like the other guests. They spun a little and chuckled. Chatting amongst themselves about how nice everyone looked. Combing the crowd of high-borns with their eyes.

"If it weren't for your father's suspicions I'd think tonight would be a lovely one." Uhara whispered to her.

Smiling as they continued to dance slowly, "At the moment it is." She told him as she gazed lovingly up at him.

Uhara kissed her lips as they didn't seem to care what attention they drew.

Glancing at the dance floor briefly as she made her way to Ozai, Katara spotted his daughter and froze as she saw her daughter kissing a man. And that man being someone on the hit list. Oh my fucking-

Pulling her lips from Uhara, Kya giggled and cupped the side of his face.

"I'm so in love with y-" Her eyes diverted for a moment and fell on an exotic dancer that was staring at her. Kya furrowed her brows as her head tilted at the sight of the woman. Who is- Kya's eyes widened.

"Mom?"

Uhara turned to look in the direction Kya had stared off in and saw the exotic dancer he noticed the Phoenix King was staring hard at during the performance. Lady Katara?

Before Kya could pull away from him to approach her mother, they both watched the Phoenix King come by and snatch her away.

Staring in shock, Katara was frozen a little as she realized that tonight she was likely going to break her daughter's heart. But before she could utter a word or make a sound, a large figure was upon her and snatched her wrists, yanking her along. She didn't stop them as she knew who it was. Her feets stumbled a bit underneath her as she found it difficult to keep up with his large strides.

"Tell me why I knew you'd be here tonight?" Ozai asked her as he pulled her away from the crowd and pushed her up against a wall.

Refusing to look at him, Katara rubbed her arm that he had held so tightly, "You've always been perceptive, Ozai. How could I know you'd be expecting me?"

"Your lett-"

Katara's eye shot up at him and told him to be silent.

"Then I suppose you're not going to tell me why you're here." He moved back from her, giving her some space.

Sucking her teeth as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her breasts. "To be quite honest. I haven't a clue why I'm here either. I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to." Katara's eyes drifted over to where her daughter had been dancing with that man from the hit list.

Sighing as he figured she wasn't in any position to talk, Ozai decided to simply take a moment to enjoy her company as it didn't seem she was doing much but dressing like an exotic dancer. Leaning on the wall beside her, he noticed her eyes were on Kya.

"She's mouthy and stubborn like you. I always thought she'd be more like me but she's like you these days." Ozai informed her.

Smirking as she took pride in hearing that, "Who's the guy?" Katara asked, knowing full well who the man was but was more interested in his relation to her daughter.

"That's Lord Uhara Totomi. Head of the Totomi clan. He and our daughter have been good friends for some time and are finally together." Ozai tilted his head as he could see Uhara was trying to soothe Kya. She must have seen her mother. "He's a good man. Really helped Kya come out of her shell and caters to her better than I have. He'll make a good husband."

Katara's gaze fell at her ex's comment. A good husband? What would you know about that? Her eyes went back to Kya and could see that this Lord Totomi guy was trying to console her after they made eye contact. Maybe he was a good guy. Especially, if Kya was becoming more expressive these days. She swallowed hard as guilt formed at the bottom of her throat causing her to struggle to breathe. Having a husband isn't everything, Kya. You can have more. You can be more. Her gaze softened at the sight of the two dancing again and Kya putting on a smile as she gazed up at that man. It'll hurt for a bit but you'll move on. You've already learned to lose love before. You can suffer through it again.

Seeing that Katara looked uneasy, Ozai figured she might be feeling upset from how much their daughter has grown while missing all these years. Unlike Ursa, Katara didn't want to abandon the children. She truly loved them. So much so, he knew they were the reason she was here tonight likely waiting for a signal to cause chaos. But while she was here, taking in the momentary peace of the gala, Ozai asked her to dance with him as he didn't know when they'd have the chance to do so again.

Glancing at his hand, Katara followed it up to his eyes and made a questioning expression. She wasn't sure why he was wanting to as the only time he had ever danced with her was at her wedding to Arnook. They parted shortly after and he knew he wouldn't see her again after that for a long time. Was he believing this was their only chance in what could be years before they saw each other again? Did she really care? Katara hadn't been able to stand in this man's company like this in a long while. She hadn't been able to do a lot of things in quite some time. Things that didn't require her to suffer or work herself till she passed out for bed.

Katara took his hand, not because he wanted her to or because she wanted to dance with him, but because this might be her last night to do something carefree like this. Atsou said she could get her old life back but she knew she wasn't getting out of this alive. So she told herself if the opportunity aroused that she would take it in order to feel a moment of bliss before returning to a miserable existence.

Letting him place his hand on the bareness of her skin that was exposed by the costume the exotic dancers were required to wear for the evening, Katara rested her head to his chest as she closed her eyes and was led into the dance.

"You still smell the same." A small smile played on her lips.

"Is that a good thing?" Ozai raised a brow as he looked down at the waterbender that rested her head against him and watched her nod her head.

"Jasmine tea with a hint of Fire Nation whiskey and mint." Katara chuckled. "I assume not much has changed with you."

Shrugging, Ozai wouldn't necessarily say that. "From the looks of you, I assume a lot more has changed with you than I."

"You could say that." Katara's eyes opened. "But I trust your observation more than my own right now."

Ozai wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean but he knew he didn't like the sound of that. He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming amount of melancholy come from her. It was far more than when he last saw her at the beach house. This was almost suffocating. It constricted the movement in his chest and he had a hard time breathing as normal. He wanted to ask her about what happened to her in the North Pole and what happened after Atsou brought her back to life and how she was but...he felt it would anger him. Katara didn't have to say much but he knew the look of a woman that had been violated countless times, he didn't need to ask to know. Besides, that could be the least of it and it was angering him just thinking about it.

Looking up at him, Katara saw Ozai looked upset and she reached up to touch his face as they continued dancing. "Do you want to stop?"

Shaking his head as he caressed her arm, "I was thinking about something."

"About?"

"You." He said.

Katara averted her eyes from him and looked at the other guests, "What about me?"

"Well, for starters, I don't like your hair dyed black."

Snorting, Katara asked him if he'd rathered her show up with her short hair instead and told him it was a wig.

"Is there a reason you wear it so short now?" He asked curiously.

"Your brother made me shave it. Now I keep it that way so I look unapproachable." Katara told him.

Ozai could understand that.

"What else?"

"You're back to your original size though you seem more muscular."

Chuckling, Katara looked up at him. "Is that a problem for you, Ozai? Rather I be flimsy?"

Rolling his eyes, "Not what I meant. Just an observation."

"And?" She smiled up at him wanting to hear more.

"And you're even more annoying than before."

Laughing, Katara went back to resting her head on his chest and shut her eyes again. "I've missed you, Ozai. I really have."

"You have?"

"Yes."

"I could have sworn you hated me, waterbender."

Smiling at his pet name for her, Katara shook her head against his chest and told him she was sorry for doubting him. "It made my life a hell of a lot harder for not believing you."

Shrugging, "I'm told my brother looks exactly like me."

"Not entirely." Katara said.

Raising a brow, "How so?"

Katara figured describing Atsou's features wouldn't hurt. Ozai would still notice a man with his exact face regardless of the small differences. So she told him about the silver hair and dim red eyes. "His skin is white like paper and his voice sounds like yours but there's no edge to it. He's lived a carefree life compared to you. I don't hear hardships in it. If I could relive that night knowing what I know now, I'd be able to tell you both a part."

"He sounds hideous." Ozai scoffed.

Katara laughed and looked up at him, "Are you jealous?" she smirked at him.

"You wish." Ozai narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm seeing someone."

Laughing even louder, the two stopped dancing as the music had stopped, Katara tried covering her mouth but she was still very loud in her laughter. Getting looks from a few nearby.

"Why do you think that's so funny?" Ozai folded his arms.

Shaking her head as she held her hands to her mouth, "Because you're obviously lying."

"Lying?! I am no-"

"Then what's her name?" Katara smirked as she stopped laughing.

Ozai's expression went flat. "Her name is Ami."

"Ami? Where is she from?"

"Bei Seng Sei. She's a scientist. Very intelligent woman. You'd like her." Ozai told her.

"I would?"

"Yes, she could teach you a lot."

"Like what? How to lie?" Katara raised a brow and folded her arms over her chest.

Ozai glared at her.

Sighing as she dropped her arms, "Okay, okay, I get it. You've moved on. Good for you. You deserve to be happy, Ozai. I'll get going before she gets the wrong idea about you dancing with an exotic dancer." Katara turned to leave but Ozai caught her wrist to stop her.

"I was lying. You called my bluff." He reluctantly admitted

Smirking as she looked over her shoulder at him and thought this might be an opportunity to get him alone.

"So you're still single?"

"Yes."

"Great. Wanna go somewhere else so we can 'talk'?"

Ozai could tell from the way she said 'talk' that she had no intentions of just talking and that there would likely be very little talking going on. And he wasn't going to turn her down. This was his waterbender after all. The only woman that could compete with him in the bedroom. It didn't get any better than her.

….

Shortly after watching her father leave the room with her mother, Kya decided she was done dancing for the evening. Uhara talking her out of interrupting her parents as it was likely they both needed to see each other and speak first. Her father had been right to believe she'd show up here, which meant something was afoot tonight. Perhaps, that's what her parents ran off to talk about.

However; Kya knew her parents and they were not running off to just 'talk'. Her mother wore a suggestive look on her face and her father was all too happy to whisk her away. They were no doubt going somewhere private to 'make up' for lost time. It sort of irritated her. Her father was so far gone in his feelings for her mother that he'd fall for what was obviously a trap.

Folding her arms over her chest, Kya looked around to see if there was anything out of the norm here and sure enough she spotted her eldest sister. Azula. Kya's eyes narrowed at the woman as she stood beside Zuko.

"Things are going to get ugly here, Uhara." Kya was sure of that. "Azula is here."

Uhara's eyes widened at the notorious ex-fire princess.

"There's no telling who else here came with my mother and her but my father was right that calamity would follow my mother wherever she showed up." Kya took Uhara's hand in hers and got him to focus on her as she begged him to stay by her side for the rest of the evening. "You're still very new to all this. I don't want anything to happen to you. So stay close to me."

Uhara reassured her that he would be fine. He was very capable of defending himself. All he cared about was making sure that she was safe when this night ended.

"Father knew she was alive this whole time?" Zuko furrowed his brows angrily as he remembered how his father had returned from the North Pole looking much better than he did when he went there. Arnook must have told him on his deathbed.

Sighing as she leaned against the chair her brother was sitting in at the top of the dais as if she was just an exotic dancer entertaining the Fire Lord. "If it makes you feel better, he might have had a good reason for not telling you."

"A good reason?! I loved her as much as he did! He should have told me!" Zuko hissed.

Shaking her head, "And then what, Zuzu? You'd go after her? I don't think so." Azula folded her arms. "Father is a dick but he has his reasons for how he handles certain matters."

"And what would his good reason be for not telling me this?" Zuko asked as he glared at her.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know?" Azula scoffed as she signaled for a servant passing by with a tray of wine. She eyed the servant and smirked as she walked down the dais to get a glass.

The servant let her pluck a glass off the tray and slipped her something in her hand that she sprinkled into the glass discreetly. Azula quietly thanked them and told them to wait for her signal. They nodded before leaving and the former princess went back up the dais to hand her brother the glass. He drank it without a second thought and Azula realized Zuko had been letting his guard down as of late. This made her job very easy.

As the night went on and Zuko drank more and more, sulking over why his father left Katara out of all their conversation for nearly an entire year. Was he trying to keep her to himself? Or Hide her from everyone? Did Kya know about this? Of course, she knew and even she didn't say anything.

Eventually, Zuko became so intoxicated that he could barely keep his head up and Azula gestured to the guards posted nearby.

"His majesty might have drank too much this evening, can you two take him somewhere to burn off the alcohol he's been drinking?" Azula masked her voice with an especially sweet one.

The guards didn't seem to recognize her which was good. Zuko must have gotten rid of any guards that worked under their father during his reign. As the guards helped the Fire Lord up and carefully took him from the gala ballroom, Azula signaled to two of the servants that were undercover to follow them out.

Azula smirked as she decided she'd enjoy herself while waiting for Katara to return. If the waterbender came back alone that would be a signal to begin the slaughter. If Ozai came back alone she'd have to kickstart this thing with him being her first target. Don't keep us waiting all night, Katara.

…..

Bringing Katara to Zuko's office, Ozai knocked all his things off his son's desk and put the watebender on it as her lips were hungrily devouring his. He bit her lip as he pulled off his outer robe and she tore his tunic open, running her hands over his bare chest. Pushing her down on the desk, Ozai burned off her bottoms as he yanked them off of her and moved his mouth from her lips to her neck. Katara moaned loudly in his ear and he almost lost it when she grabbed him by his neck, pulling him away from her to look him in the eyes.

"I call top." She told him.

And before he could object or convince her otherwise, Katara pulled him down and flipped him over on his back. A wicked curled tugged at her lips as they both realized just how much stronger she had gotten. Ozai's eyes were wide for a moment until she straddled him to the desk and undid his pants. Her lips went back to him as she stroked him till it was almost agonizing not being inside her.

But as soon as she positioned herself above his length, Ozai's eyes watched as she sunk down on him, taking him in her. He clenched his teeth as he looked back up at her when she rolled her hips on top of him.

"Fuck!" She moaned and clawed his chest, moving her hips against his. "Ozai, you're so fucking hard!"

Katara watched with pleasure as Ozai's eyes rolled to the back of his head, biting her lips. She continued riding him hard and getting him to moan against his will. La, she knew how much he hated making that noise but she loved hearing it. She wondered if she could get him to moan louder.

Fifteen minutes later, the guards patrolling the halls by the Fire Lord's office were chatting amongst one another. They had seen the Phoenix King take one of the exotic dancers into the office and didn't say anything. How could they? But for the look of the woman, they knew what was likely going on in the Fire Lord's office.

"FUCK! You dirty bitch!"

They both froze as they heard the man moaning. They exchanged looks as they listened to the Phoenix King yelling something else but couldn't make out what he was saying. Whatever was going on in there, they figured they should go find them a exotic dancer for the night as well.

Sucking Ozai's bottom lip as he had managed to throw her up against the bookcase to fuck her, Katara raked her finger nails through his scalp and moved her lips from his mouth to his jaw. She could tell she was driving him crazy and that's what she wanted. He was already so sensitive and she could feel how simply looking at him earlier could have made him take her right there on the gala's dance floor. Ozai was truly bewitched by her. Since the day we met. She smiled inwardly.

Ozai grabbed the waterbender by the chin after she tried to suck on his neck. He grinned at her and shook his head. She was going to make him cum sooner than he wanted to. The woman was going to make him go insane. After all these years, he didn't understand why he responded to her like a starved man but he did. She stirred hunger in him like no one else and he was never satisfied more. Agni, it almost pained him physically some times, to remember all that she could do to make him this way.

Cupping the side of her face as he kissed her softly and slowly. He wanted to savor her taste on his lips and she returned the same sentiments. Ozai continued thrusting into the waterbender while passionately tongue kissing her. Her hip rolled against his as he held her up against the wall by her thigh and his form pinning her there.

When his mouth traveled to her neck, Katara clung to him tightly and rolled her eyes to the back of her head. "Oh fuck, Ozai! You're gonna make me cum!"

Pulling the waterbender from the wall and shoving her onto his son's desk, Ozai bent her over, taking her from behind. Katara's eyes widened as he started pounding her on Zuko's desk. He even held her down by her neck and slapped her ass hard. She literally clawed the desk as she came and came hard. Ozai continued fucking her as she was spilling out all over him.

"Agni, I've never seen a woman squirt like that!" He continued causing the waterbender to cum even more.

Moments later, Katara was about to slip off the desk when Ozai caught her. He collected her and carried her over to the sofa, letting her sit in his lap as she rested her head against his chest. Her eyes were shut. She wanted to focus on the rapid beating of his heart. Her lips tugged into a smile as she kept her eyes shut.

"Do you really have a girlfriend now?" Katara asked him in a soft whisper.

"No."

"Why not?" She opened her eyes and looked up in curiosity.

Gazing down at her blue eyes, Ozai furrowed his brows. "Do you want me to?"

"You'd be less lonely, wouldn't you?"

Scoffing, "I don't care abou-"

"I do." Katara said as she sat up in his lap and cupped his face in her hands. "I care that you're lonely."

Ozai shut his eyes along with her as she pressed her forehead to his.

"You're a better man now than when I met you. You could find someone to be happy with. You should find her." She told him.

Shaking his head as he clasped her wrist in his hands, "I already have." He said in a whisper. "Come back home with me. Please, Katara."

"No, Ozai. I can't." She pulled away and opened her eyes to gaze somberly at him. "I can't for a long time."

Katara watched Ozai look at her as if she were rejecting him and she was. But not because she wanted to. She'd like it very much to go back with him and return to a life with him, pick up where they left off but despite Atsou's threats, Katara knew it was a waste to escape Atsou without first finding out his true intentions with everything.

"I love you and I always will, I mean it. No matter what happens, I swear, Ozai, I love you and you only." Katara's eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. "No one else can have my heart."

Furrowing his brows, Ozai wiped her tears away and tried to figure out what was holding her back so much that she was refusing what he knew she wanted.

"Go be happy and don't worry about me anymore. I'm tougher than I look, I can take care of myself. Just promise you'll keep being good to the children and you'll find someone else. Someone better than me. Someone that can stay by your side, always."

Shaking his head, Ozai refused to do anything of the sort. He wasn't going to stop worrying about her and he didn't care how tough she was, he wasn't letting her fend for herself anymore. He wasn't promising shit.

"Fuck you, if you think I'm going to give up on us after twenty fucking years, Katara! Twenty fucking years! I'm not letting you leave here unless you're coming back with me!" He growled as he tightened his grip on her.

Katara averted her eyes. She thought that maybe she could talk him down but Ozai wasn't budging. He was stubborn as all hell and as much as she was trying to spare him, he wasn't making it easy.

"Ozai, we made an agreement some time ago. I'm trying to fulfill that agreement." She said discreetly. "I have to do this."

Ozai recalled what agreement she was referring to but he could care less about Atsou and his fucking plans. The bastard could do whatever as long as he stayed out of his way and away from his family. Simple. Ozai wasn't going to fight the bastard or anything. His twin could do whatever and he wouldn't give a damn. But Katara was coming home with him and the children. The agreement was off the table.

Having to argue back and forth about the topic, Katara finally caved and agreed to go home with Ozai. She saw his expression softened up again as he held her to him. He was obviously relieved and she wished she could be just as relieved but…Forgive me.

The waterbender moved to kiss him affectionately, wanting to convey her feelings better to him and as she did, Ozai returned her kiss. Katara closed her eyes as she kissed him more passionately than before and little by little, Ozai felt himself become more breathless. It wasn't until he felt the frost crawl into the back of his throat that he realized what Katara was doing to him.

"Kat-"

Shoving Katara away, Ozai climbed to his feet holding his throat as he could barely breathe. His eyes widened as they looked to her. She was healing the bite marks and discoloration on her neck left there by him from their love session on Zuko's desk and bookcase. Falling over on his side, Ozai was visibly fighting the invasion of the frostbite kiss the waterbender gave him.

"You have to stop being stubborn, Ozai. Stop fighting what is and accept it. I can't go back to how things were before. We can't go back to how things used to be. We are different people now." Katara informed him.

A shadow came through the window and walked up beside her. Ozai could see it was a man wearing a fox mask with silver hair draping over his shoulders and far past the length he'd let his own hair grow. He placed his hand on Katara's shoulders.

"You did well, mean one."

Throwing his hand off of her, Katara's face scrunched up venomously as she pulled away from him to go to Ozai. She didn't want this and Ozai could see that. It was why he didn't stare at her scornfully. He knew the whole time she was plotting something. From the moment he saw her at the gala he knew.

As she knelt in front of him, the waterbender pressed her lips to his and he could taste the salt from her tears. It's better if you let go of me and move on, Ozai. We've hurt each other enough, don't you think?

Shutting his eyes, You're a stupid woman if you think I'm going to leave this be.

Pulling away, Katara caressed his face. "I can't help if I'm not as smart as you, Ozai." She smiled somberly. "You simply fell in love with a stupid woman."

Standing back up, Katara watched Ozai collapse on his side as his body's temperature lowered. It wasn't going to kill him but his bending wasn't going to get him out of the frostbite kiss she gave him.

"Here. Put this on and signal the others." Atsou handed Katara a change of clothes.

While the waterbender took off her wig, revealing her short length hair and got dressed, Atsou stepped towards his twin brother and grinned behind his mask.

"So, we finally meet, Ozai." Atsou held his hands behind his back. "I can definitely see how we're identical. Though, being the older twin, I think I look better."

Ozai watched as Atsou removed his mask and his eyes widened. This bastard definitely had his face. Aside from the small differences, he couldn't see how Atsou's face was any different from his. Bastard!

"I'll tell you. Quite the woman you've got there." Atsou looked over his shoulder to see Katara pulling her black tunic over her head. "She's every bit as cold and unmoved as a glacier but she does her part, so I can forgive her."

Pulling her face mask from her tunic up to her mouth, Katara's eyes glared at Atsou.

"Leave him alone." She growled. "He's been subdued as you asked."

Atsou stepped away from his twin brother, "Okay, alright, she doesn't want me near you. So, I'll keep my distance, though I do hope we'll see each other someday soon to talk a little more."

Katara waited for Atsou to open a portal of black flames and wave at her as he entered. Once he was gone, the waterbender spared Ozai one last remorseful glance before running off to carry out the rest of her mission.

Ozai laid there being taken over by the ice invading his boy. Even his bending wasn't able to thaw it out or slow it down. Katara had got him good. He couldn't even be bewildered much by seeing his twin brother for the first time because for a moment, he did believe she would actually come back home with him. He was foolish and he knew it was as that Kyoshi bitch had said, Katara bewitched him. She had a power over him, one that he struggled with everyday for twenty years. However, he didn't plan on giving her up. He had come this far. They both had. They had both gotten this far, it would have all been a waste if they stopped here and never looked back. He wasn't going to let everything go to waste. Even if she had to be chained up and locked away, he'd make it happen if it meant she was his again.

…..

The party had continued on as if no one had noticed the Phoenix King and Fire Lord had gone missing. Kya had noticed this just as the large doors of the ballroom were kicked open and everyone paused as what looked like a woman dressed in black tights showed up. She rose to her feet to get a better look. The woman had short brown hair and a mask pulled up to her face. All that was visible were her eyes and while no one seemed to recognize her, Kya did. Her clothes and hair were different and she didn't return with her father. That only meant one thing.

Katara looked at the people all staring at her with caution and took a deep breath before focusing her eyes. These people don't matter. She told herself. You're doing this for the people that do matter. Trying to prep herself for the slaughterhouse this room was about to become. Let's get this over with. She turned her head to the nearest guard that slowly crept his way to her and raised her hand to him, bending the blood in his body to freeze and then shatter. Everyone screamed and pulled away to run. But before any of them could get away, a few of the servants pulled masks up to their face and pulled out weapons.

Kya's eyes widened as Uhara stood up beside her to see everyone running around to get away as the masked servants started attacking them.

"Safe to assume we'll have to fight our way out of here." Uhara said as Kya's eyes glowed purple and set on her mother that she watched fighting the guards.

"Stay close." Kya told him and Uhara pulled out a dagger as he was more proficient with a weapon than his own bending.

Deciding she was going to go after her mother to subdue, Kya made her way through the scrambling crowd that had broken out into chaos. However; before she could get any close to her mother, the water siren was stopped by her older sister, tackled to the ground.

"Sorry, sis but this for your own good." Azula laughed as she rose her fingers to accumulate lightning to strike her.

Fortunately for Kya, Uhara had grabbed Azula from behind and yanked her off his woman. Kya climbed to her feet and high-kicked Azula as Uhara held her in his restraint.

Spitting blood out to the side, "Oh, you two are going to regret this." Azula smirked. "I'm going to make this hurt."

"Bring it, bitch!" Kya told Azula.

Breaking out of Uhara's restrain, Azula turned and headbutted him, sending him to the floor which enraged her sister who came running at her to punch her in the face. But Azula was much too fast for that and blocked her sister's attack, bringing her knee up to knock Kya in her jaw. The younger of the two stumbled back and the other cracked her knuckles.

"I've been wanting to assert my dominance as the older sister. About time I put you in your place, little sis." Azula's hand lit with a blue flame.

Wiping the blood from her mouth, Kya narrowed her eyes' glow changed from purple to red and a black flame formed in her hand. Azula's eyes widened at this as Kya, whom she thought was only a waterbender came for her again but this time she was about to get the drop on her and knocked her to the floor.

On the other side of the room, Katara was taking out guards and crossed two names off the hit list. They were Northern Water Tribe elders. Men that she had personal vendettas against. She figured it would be easiest if she took out people she had something against and the Northern Tribe names were the easiest to kill. Reaching guards of the Northern Water Tribe, Katara lowered her mask to give them a peek at her face so they could know who was about to end their lives. Winking, she pulled her mask back up as their eyes widened and she bended a whip of water that turned to ice as soon as it hit them across their waist, slicing them in half. She did this move again and sliced through their necks.

When they collapsed into pieces on the floor, Katara stepped over them as she set her eyes on the new Chieftain. Hahn.

"I know it's you!" Hahn said as he cowered away. "They told me you didn't really die!"

Cracking her neck and her knuckles, Katara's icy gaze locked on the Northern Chieftain as she formed a water whip in her hand. "The North Pole and I don't have the best history. This is nothing personal against you. Tell my ex-husband that I wish him the best in hell."

Before Hahn could say anything, Katara bended a dome of water over the man and froze the outside as he drowned in the middle of it. She figured he could die on his own since she didn't have anything against him personally and she had other targets to kill tonight.

Her eyes scoped the premise and saw many names being crossed off the list. Her fellow members were making a massacre of the entire evening and while it was, people whose names weren't listed were being killed. While she wouldn't go so far to kill those that weren't targets unless she had to, Katara knew her mission and couldn't ignore her own personal goal. Ursa told her to own this mission and she would. That was how she'd get the advantage in her situation.

"Die! You evil bit-"

Katara flipped over the man and manifested a spear of ice, shoving it into his back before quickly removing it to slice through the throat of another guard that ran up to her. She acted quick as she charged at and grabbed the man by his hands as he tried bringing a blade down on her. Two other men were coming at her to help their fellow guard out. One with a spear and the other was a firebender. She closed her eyes as she didn't want to lose control but needed to borrow power from her siren.

Eyes glowed a bright blue and her skin shimmered gold. Katara growled as she radiated a wave of energy from her body, sending the men away from her. She immediately felt the consequences of her bending and felt a little bit of madness seep in.

On the other side of the ballroom that was covered in blood and guests still running in terror, Kya and Azula continued to square off. Azula wasn't expecting Kya to over power her but with her reveal as a hybrid phoenix and siren as well as a duelbender, she was completely outmatched. But Kya wasn't her real target. She was just distracting the woman from protecting Uhara or going after her mother. So far the man was still unconscious on the floor from her headbutting him. Such a weak man was bound to be killed associating himself with their family. The weak had no place in it with all the fighting that took place.

"I can see why you became father's new favorite." Azula smirked as she had to play the defensive with her more powerful younger sister.

Getting frustrated with Azula evading her attack, "Stop talking and die!" Kya viciously snarled as she was about to switch up elements to take the high ground in the fight.

Managing to do a quick leap out of the way as Kya sent icicles ready to pierce her, Azula tried getting a quick look at their surroundings to use to her advantage. She couldn't overpower Kya but she could outsmart her. Seeing a puddle of water right in front of the hybrid, Azula's lips curled and she laughed maniacally.

"Tell me, Kya, does father ever talk about me?"

Spitting to the side, "Your name doesn't even cross his mind." Kya said spitefully.

"Well, your mother talks about you all the time. Seems she really misses you little brats. Too bad, she missed so much time with you." Azula provoked. "Maybe she can start up a new family with kids she can actually raise. She'll forget all about you brats. Just like father forgot about me."

Kya's eyes widened in rage. "Fuck you!"

Azula watched as Kya fell for the bait and stepped forward to attack, she immediately struck the ground of water with lightning and watched Kya light up like a sparkler at a summer festival. She laughed loudly as her little sister collapsed on the marble floor twitched as the bolts traveled throughout her body.

Going over to look down at Kya, Azula pulled out a dagger and was about to stab her to put her out of commission for the remainder of the night. However; she was tackled to the ground and a fist of fire knocked her across her face. Kya's eyes went to see Uhara on top of Azula. Attacking in her defense. She winced as she tried getting up. She couldn't let him fight her alone. Azula wasn't an easy opponent.

"Keep your hands off of her!" Uhara growled as his eyes turned red and Azula was confronted with another surprise.

Uhara instinctively went to bite into her neck. The woman screamed under him as he had every intention to rip her throat out. Her nails clawed him as she tried to get him to stop. Fortunately, help came when Uhara was grabbed by his hair and pulled off of her. Azula cried out in pain as she held her neck and saw it was Katara that grabbed the man.

"He can't be killed. He's a phoenix." Azula warned Katara.

Katara's eyes went to the man as he slowly fell out of the partial phoenix form he had taken. He was panting and his gold eyes looked to her as if he knew exactly who she was. Kya must have told him.

"Lady Kat-"

Katara brought her finger to her lips and shook her head. She didn't want her name being repeated. If the wrong person heard it then everyone would know she was alive and a part of a murderous group.

Uhara swallowed hard and nodded as if he understood this. Her eyes were glowing blue and her skin was a gold shimmer. She looked terrifying but in a mystical way. Nothing like the woman he had caught glimpses of when she was Fire Lady. This was almost a completely different woman.

"Mo-mom, don't!" Kya begged and her mother's attention turned to her. "Please, don't. This isn't you."

No. It wasn't her. But she had more important things than being herself right now. Her daughter's life meant more to her than her feelings. And even if she hated her, at least, she'd be alive.

Manifesting a dagger of ice in her hand, Katara's eyes went back to the man that was staring at her while she held him by his hair. You love my daughter? Uhara nodded. Would you die for her? Swallowing hard, the man nodded his head again and that was all Katara needed to know as she raised the dagger to stab him in the throat. He didn't even flinch. Just shut his eyes as if to accept. But before she could take his life, Katara was struck in the back with lightning and she dropped the dagger, falling on her knees.

Kya's eyes widened as Uhara hurried to her and collected her from the floor.

"Mom!" She screamed as she reached out for her mother, who had to pull down her mask and coughed up blood.

Azula's eyes traveled from the waterbender to where the lightning strike came from and saw her father barely able to stand as he was clutching his chest. She could see one of his eyes were frosted over along with half his body.

Limbing towards them, "I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you but I'm five second from beating you into the ground and dragging you ass to a cell!" Ozai growled.

Katara struggled back to her feet as she was able to redirect a bit of the electrical currents from her back to her fingertips. She stood and pointed her fingers at the ceiling, shooting the lightning there. The ceiling came crashing down and before it could crush them, Katara put a protective barrier of ice over her, Azula, and her daughter. The rest came crashing down on everyone else. Killing even her own allies. But Katara didn't really care. Friend or foe. Unless they were her family, they didn't matter.

Unfortunately, Ozai was not hit by any of the debris from the ceiling and was waiting for her to let down her barrier. When it seemed she wouldn't, his eyes shifted to Uhara and signaled for him to attack her. The nobleman pulled away from Kya and rushed to her mother to take her out as instructed by her father. However, Katara caught him by his neck and stopped him before he could put his hands on her.

"Here's a little advice, Uhara." Katara's voice was not her own as she spoke. "Don't get involved again. You're as good as dead. Phoenix or not."

Uhara was thrown to the ground and slid all the way to the walls of the barrier, hitting his head and going unconscious.

Katara's eyes went to her daughter and saw Kya staring at her with a disheartening gaze. She shut her eyes and turned her back to her.

"Mission is complete. Let's go." Katara helped Azula off the ground and opened a portal.

"Wait-"

Katara turned to see her daughter try to come after her and she did what any mother would do when trying to keep their children from harm's way, even when harm's way was them. Kya's feet were frozen to the ground and before she reacted to it, a ball of ice clunked her in the head. Watching her daughter fall unconscious on the floor, Katara went back to fleeing with Azula.

When Katara was gone, Ozai hurried with a limp over where his daughter had been subdued by her mother. She was laying on the ground covered in bruises and gash to her forehead from where Katara knocked her out. Pulling her into his arms, he knelt there trying to wake her but she didn't budge. She was breathing but it was shallow. His eyes roamed around the ballroom to see the devastation his ex-wife and her new allies caused.

Shutting his eyes, Is this really your only option, Katara?!

….

"Master Atsou, they are here." A servant reported just as the doors of his meeting room slid open and in walked less than half the men and women he sent to execute the mission. Not only that but Katara and Azula were not among them.

Atsou listened as he was told the operation was a success except for Lord Totomi, who had awoken his inhuman trait and was now a phoenix. This didn't seem to bother him. The others were dead and the Fire Lord was in their custody. Only problem was that Katara caused their group to take a few casualties when confronted with Ozai. This matter caused many of Atsou's squad leaders to demand that Katara be punished for putting the lives of fellow comrades in harm's way.

"She had a disregard for her teammates' lives! We can't let this go without consequence!" Lao hissed as he looked to Atsou, who was sitting on his floor cushion trying to think of how he should approach the situation they were in. Katara had indeed killed a few of her own comrades, disregarding their lives in order to deal with Ozai. However; she had shown a level of lethality that he didn't expect her to have so soon into her working with them. She was merciless and focused. Something he had wanted to see in her. So, this mission's less than perfect score didn't call for a punishment in his eyes. Atsou was satisfied. Death was something that couldn't be avoided and if he cared at all about it, he would have given everyone a white crystal. But he reserved his immortal crystals for special individuals. Katara being among those that wore a white crystal.

Standing as he decided a way to continue cultivating the waterbender as well as give her a just punishment that would satisfy everyone, Atsou stood up. "A year in solitary confinement."

Yoshiro furrowed his brows as he looked from Lao to Atsou, "Your words, not mine, the result is of little consequence. You want results. You have results. Why punish the woman? She's done more than I believed she would."

Lao glared at Yoshiro, "She forfeited her comrades' lives!"

"A fair price to pay after the carnage we released on our enemies." Yoshiro scoffed. "Katara proved herself tonight and I think we should let her off the hook. Master Atsou, she did everything asked of her and even surprised us. Leave her be."

Atsou didn't necessarily want to punish Katara. Yoshiro was right. However; there would be unrest in the community if they felt she wasn't punished in some sense.

"I'll put her on serving duty. She'll refrain from training and be denied privileges to go on missions for an indefinite amount of time." Atsou explained that he agreed with Yoshiro but could not ignore everyone else's concern. It would be showing a bias towards Katara. Also, Katara would need to recover and help with what they had planned for the captive Fire Lord. And once everyone had forgotten about everything, he'd release Katara from her chore duties. Simple.

Lao did not like this and confronted his adoptive grandson when Yoshiro left. Holding his hands in his sleeves, the old man furrowed his brows at Atsou.

"You must not be like your brother. Do not lose sight because of that woman."

Sucking his teeth as he tried not to laugh, "I'm not losing sight. I'm being fair."

"Fair? Who cares about being fair? She cost several agents their lives." Lao eyed Atsou as he sat back down.

"And she completed her mission despite not wanting to have any parts of this. If I punish her severely when she's done all I've asked of her, she could easily turn on us."

"She wouldn't dar-"

Atsou narrowed his eyes at his grandfather, "Who here is strong enough to face her?"

"You, your power is even greater than Ozai's."

"But I'm not fully immortal. Besides, Katara would still be a handful and I would rather not fight her." Atsou had seen the way Katara nearly lost control to her siren tonight and had strained herself in order to remain in control. He didn't want to have to ever fight a siren again. Hama was the first and last one he would ever go toe to toe with.

The next few days in the Fire Nation had been a chaotic period. With five members from each nation being slaughtered at the gala, all being from nobility. It left many that survived the event to wonder what was going on and the only person that knew anything was Ozai but he wasn't talking to any of them. This was an issue that involved his family ties and he rather kept it private seeing as Katara was in deep trouble if she was discovered.

The woman had a high kill count last night and was covered in blood. He had never seen Katara look so void of emotions. He barely recognized her. Even worse, she attacked Uhara and subdued their daughter to get away. Kya swore she wasn't angry with her mother and understood her mother felt her hands were tied but Ozai couldn't say he felt the same. Katara knew this was wrong and had carried out Atsou's orders anyway. He was livid that she would stoop so low...that was until he found another letter in his outer pocket he had been wearing that night. He hadn't gotten a moment to read it yet and didn't think he'd be able to read it any time soon.

The events of the gala had not only taken lives but also, Zuko had been kidnapped. Witnesses claimed to have watched two servants attack the palace guards and whisk the Fire Lord off into the night, shortly after, chaos erupted in the ballroom. The absence of the Fire Lord caused panic and Ozai was begged by the sages to fill the position until they found out what had become of the Fire Lord. He refused for days until Kya finally addressed him.

"Uhara and I will return to the Phoenix Empire to maintain order there. You stay here to govern in Zuko's absence." Kya told him.

"Like hell." Ozai rolled his eyes.

"Your majesty, there is no one other than you that knows the duties of being Fire Lord." Uhara reminded him. "If the Fire Nation is to maintain its order in Fire Lord Zuko's absence, only you can do so on such short notice."

"Besides, Ryu only just turned six. He's too young to rule and can be taken advantage of by the advisors. Please stay and I can rule in your stead back home while you're here."

Honestly, Ozai didn't have a desire to be Fire Lord. He had been much more satisfied in his new kingdom. There were no reminders of his past or his father there. Everything there he had achieved on his own. But here, the walls held memories of the sickening past he had escaped from.

However; both of them were right. No one else had the experience of being Fire Lord except him and his grandson was far too young to take his father's mantle. The country would be run into the ground without a doubt. Plus, they need to keep the Fire Nation under the control of the Yung Dynasty. Running his hand through his hair, Ozai groaned in annoyance as he refused to look at either of them.

"Tell the sages that I don't care how Zuko ran things before but if I'm going back to being Fire Lord, we're doing things my way or I'll return home." Ozai scoffed.

Sighing as she was relieved to hear her father finally give in. She knew he didn't want to but there was much at stake here. Zuko was kidnapped and the Fire Nation would fall into disarray if not for his cooperation.

"I'll let them know right away." Uhara said as Kya had given him the look to speak alone with her father.

When they were alone, Kya walked over to where her father had been sitting on the sofa of the sitting room and sat beside him. She noticed he was still shivering from time to time and his body would visibly succumb to his opposite element. He didn't ever want to talk about it when she asked how frostbite was able to invade his body and overpower his own natural ability to maintain a high body temp. She knew it was her mother's doing but she didn't understand how her power was still working on him.

Grabbing his beard, Kya forced her father to finally look at her after he repeatedly refused to and saw that his left eye was frosted over with the frostbite that plagued him. She couldn't even see his iris and sighed when she saw him shut his eyes.

"Can you even see?" Kya asked him.

"Barely."

"What about movements?"

Ozai folded his arms and sucked his teeth. "What are you? My physician?"

"I'm trying to make sure you'll be fine when I leave." Kya bit out for her stubborn father.

"I'll be fine. Hama already said that it is a permanent affliction unless undone by the one that did this. Your mother would have to remove it." Ozai said bitterly.

"How did she do it in the first place?" Kya furrowed her brows as she tried to understand.

As if he'd tell her. Ozai was honestly trying to forget it and it wasn't like he knew exactly how Katara managed to pull it off. But he had an idea.

"Did you two have sex?" Kya asked.

Ozai immediately told Kya to leave him alone.

Kya rolled her eyes and agreed to leave him alone if he was truly alright. When she left, Hama was smirking as she entered the room to see Ozai. Looked like he was about to be Fire Lord again. Walking up to where he sat, the older woman sat beside him and tried to get him to look at her.

"I assume you want me to stay to help with the little ones?"

Ozai reluctantly nodded his head. He knew Kya loved Mailan and would look after her but he wasn't going to make her responsible for her younger sister. Besides, Mailan was very clingy to him. Almost as much, if not worse, than Kya had been. Not to mention, Mailan and Ryu were very close. He knew Mailan would not agree to leave without Ryu. He honestly didn't know how they were going to separate them when Zuko was back.

"So...wanna talk about the letter Katara left you and why you still haven't read it?" Hama rubbed shoulders with Ozai.

"I'm not reading it right now." Ozai growled as he stood up.

Standing up with him, "And why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"That's not a reason, Ozai." Hama folded her arms and scoffed.

Shutting his eyes as he clenched his fists, "I don't need to read her letter to know that she had a perfectly good reason for why she felt compelled to commit cold blooded murder."

"Is that really it?" Hama raised a brow.

Squeezing his fists tighter, his eyes still shut. "She felt like a stranger. Like I didn't know her anymore. I don't know how to swallow that. Katara, even after all the years we spent on and off again, she's never felt so different to me." Ozai shook his head. "That night, Katara was someone else and I can't begin to wonder who that was. But she wasn't my waterbender."

Hama sighed as she placed a hand on Ozai's back to comfort him. Reminding him that Katara had been through a lot and that she was older now. She had her dreams of a family crushed and then held hostage and she was in a very vulnerable state. It made her dangerous and it was better if they stayed out of her way. Atsou wasn't going to use her in blatant opposition to them. He wasn't insane and didn't make the same mistake twice. All they could do is prepare for whatever big plans Atsou had for them and protect the family. They might not know the physical place Katara was but they knew she was fine for the time being. Now, they needed to focus on maintaining their public image as a family because they were looking like a mess.

"Both your sons are missing. Zuko, we have an idea where he is but Zhiar...you've put off looking for him for far too long." Hama told him.

Ozai opened his eyes, "Zhiar is a criminal. As soon as I get my hands on him, he's going to prison." he bit out. There was far more than just the incident of Kyoshi Island that involved his son. Ozai had gotten word that Zhiar was in the Phoenix Empire stirring up trouble in villages and took up with some bandits. They were lawless and did everything from stealing, raping, and murdering. Ozai knew that no one had caught on to the fact Zhiar was the one leading brutal raids on small villages but he had scouts loyal to him that confirmed that the one leading the bandits was his son. "If I didn't fear the boy's mother right now, I'd kill him."

Hama eyed him, "So you do know where he is?"

"I know where he's been but never where he is or where he is going." Ozai snorted. "Zhiar evades me completely. I even step in a province, he'll know I'm coming."

Sighing as she felt a headache coming on, Hama told him they would just focus on everything outside of Zhiar and Katara. Eventually, they would all cross paths again and when that happened, they'd deal with things then. However; Ozai didn't agree completely with that. He was determined to get Katara and bring her home. He promised Kya and Mailan that he would make that happen, he planned to keep his promise to them both. He would bide time but pay attention to the next possible place Katara would resurface.

….

Katara winced as she strained her shoulder while sweeping. She was back on mundane duties. Only this time, her chores were in Master Atsou's manor and she wasn't alone in her chores. Azula had also been assigned to walk in the manor with her after sustaining injuries from the night of the gala. While Atsou put Azula on chore duty due to her injury, Katara was told it was punishment despite her needing to recover from her own injuries. Honestly, Katara didn't care so much about the punishment. It didn't really feel like one since she was also in charge of the caretaking of their prisoner.

Seeing the former princess relaxing on the stone bench in the courtyard while she had to sweep the wooden panel floors of the outdoor hallway, Katara narrowed her eyes and scoffed. "You just sitting there is really pissing me off."

"Yeah, well, I'm the severely injured one and you're the one that got in trouble, so I do believe no one is going to have any objections." Azula replied with a shit grin.

Rolling her eyes, Katara got back to sweeping as two servants of the manor hurried past her, knocking her over in their wake. The waterbender clenched her fists as she mumbled something under her breath causing the two servants to pause and turn around to look at her.

"What was that?" The female servants asked as she seemed highly offended by the waterbender's whispering.

Azula smirked as she decided that today was going to be far more entertaining than the last few days.

Standing up with the aid of her broom, Katara glared at the female servants. " I said that was rude."

"Rude? You want to talk to us about being rude?" The male servant, now, seemed insulted as well. "How many of our own people did you get killed on the last mission? Not to mention, the number that you caused serious injuries to in training?"

Katara swallowed her pride and forced herself to look away from them to resume sweeping. She simply held her tongue and shook her head. However; the damage was done and neither of the servants were going to let it drop. The two walked up to Katara and stood on both sides of her. Katara was then shoved between the two of them until she was finally shoved back onto the floor.

"Not so tough without your orders, are you?!" The female servant went on to kick Katara in the face while the male servant stomped her in her stomach.

Azula was about to intervene when her uncle showed up just in time and scolded the two servants.

"Is there a reason you two are ganging up Lady Katara?" Atsou asked the servants, wearing a misleading grin on his face as he clasped his hands behind his back.

The two bowed and apologized, stating that Katara started the altercation. Atsou shooed them both off and stepped over Katara as she laid there on the floor staring blankly up at the ceiling. He eyed her as he circled around her, trying to get an idea for why she was just laying there.

"You could have easily broken their limbs with your bare hands, why didn't you?" Atsou asked her.

Shaking her head as she stared at the ceiling, "Because I don't want to hurt them."

"And why not?" Atsou furrowed his brows.

"I've hurt enough people and I don't like it." Katara said as she closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "If it's not related to a mission, I do not want to hurt anyone else."

Atsou chuckled and offered her his hand to take. As soon as she did, he pulled her to her feet and looked her over. She didn't look too bad. Her lip and nose was a bit busted but for the most part, there wasn't much anyone could do to mess her up too bad.

"Come with me, mean one." Atsou said as he started on his way.

Katara sighed and rested her broom against the wall. She looked over to Azula, who stuck her tongue out at her, and she gave her a middle finger in return. Following Atsou to his office, the waterbender took a seat on the floor cushion in front of his low desk and crossed her legs.

"I'm sure you're curious about what I have planned for my nephew." Atsou started. "I assure you, I do not plan on killing him and will be releasing him as soon as I am done with him. As for why I called you here in particular, I have a specific mission for you that I do not want anyone finding out about."

The waterbender raised her brow as if to tell him to go on. Atsou smirked and pulled a scroll out of his sleeve, placing it on his desk.

Keeping his hand on the scroll, Atsou watched Katara carefully. "Chieftain Han is dead and the next Chieftain is to be decided in a few days. I want you to go there and kidnap a few sirens while the elders are preoccupied. I specifically want sirens that have used their powers once or twice. You can find these ladies in prison. I'm sure you've met some of them."

Katara couldn't say she met any of the women in prison. She wasn't allowed to interact with them and she was soon put in solitary confinement so that Arnook could impregnate her. So, no, she didn't know any of them.

"Daikoku will go with you."

"Daikoku is Fire Nation. They'll notice him immediately." Katara pointed out.

Atsou tilted his head as he handed her the scroll, "I have that part covered."

Picking up the scroll, Katara read over it and found that Atsou had lost his fucking mind. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him and threw the scroll.

"I'm wanted?!" Katara yelled. "How does anyone even know I'm alive?!"

"Well...they don't know it's you but they know a waterbender is responsible for much of the carnage that took place at the gala. You can thank your ex-husband for covering your ass. Your name was mentioned and he had to express that you were indeed dead." Atsou tried not to chuckle at her sudden anger. "However; the Northerners know you're alive and know it was you that night. They tried fighting Ozai on confessing as they knew he would know but he kept a tight lip. Lucky girl you are. You stab him in the back and he still looks out for you."

Furrowing her brows at this detail, Katara shook her head and mumbled for him to shut up.

Atsou let her know that the mission could take a few days but there was no rush. He wanted as many as she could get her hands on and when she returned, he'd have a new set of orders for her.

"You leave tonight." Atsou informed her.

Returning to her where Azula was still not doing any of her chores, Katara slapped the woman upside the head and told her to come with her to the kitchen so they could get Zuko's tray. She groaned and rolled her eyes asking if her uncle had said anything about why they took her brother captive. Katara wasn't going to tell her even if she did know.

Grabbing the tray, Katara and Azula headed to the dungeon cell where Zuko was chained up. The waterbender had to go in alone since Azula didn't really care to see Zuko. Not that she hated him still but simply because she and Zuko had never been on good terms which made interactions between them awkward and down right uncomfortable.

Entering the cell, Katara saw Zuko sitting in the corner with his knee up while he rested his head against the wall. He typically stayed in that one spot and didn't move much. The waterbender placed his tray down in front of him and retreated to the opposite side of the cell to sit on the stool. She saw Zuko eye the tray and then his gold eyes lifted her. They were glowing as they had been doing since he was captured. Seemed his guard was up and it should be. She didn't know what Atsou had planned for him and while he expressed not killing Zuko, he didn't say anything about hurting him.

"I'm not eating that." Zuko told her as he stared hard at her with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Then I'll take it back." Katara replied. She knew what Zuko was doing. He was trying to play on the side of her that would try and get him to eat. The side that would tell him he needed his strength. The side that he could in turn demand she help him get out of here if she truly wanted him to eat. Unfortunately, that side had been turned off in order for her to maintain her role here. Atsou was starting to trust her and she needed him to do so that when she finally escaped this place, she could take him down once and for all.

Seeing that Katara wasn't going to beg him to eat, Zuko kicked the tray aside when she got close and then quickly stood when her eyes followed the tray. He tried to attack her while she was distracted but as soon as he tried to bring his hand down on her to chop her, Katara blocked it without even looking his way. Once her eyes returned to him, Katara blocked a few more attempted jabs and counter with a fist to his gut. When he cringed over, the waterbender grabbed him and kneed him several times in the gut.

Zuko gasped as he fell on his side and crying out in pain.

Crouching down in front of his head, the waterbender grabbed him by his hair and forced him to look at her. "I don't want to fight you but you will not touch me, understood?"

Wincing, Zuko nodded and eyed her as he held his gut. "So is this twenty years all over again?" He tore himself away from her.

"No. This is a completely different situation." Katara stood up and backed away from him. "I don't serve Atsou because I care about him or even like him. I hate his guts but I have people I have to protect, so I do what I have to."

Zuko eyed her as he pulled himself to the wall so he could sit up, "You called yourself protecting me all those years ago."

Narrowing her eyes, "Our son, your siblings, my children...all of them will be killed by agents that Atsou has watching them at all times. Your father isn't the dangerous one here. You haven't a clue the power Atsou has. I'm protecting our family. So don't talk to me like I'm that idiot girl from years ago. I know what I'm doing and I hate every bit of it but I don't have much of a choice."

"You always have a choice, Katara." Zuko told her.

"Then I help you leave here and our son loses his life because daddy decided to fill mommy's head with idealistic hope! I don't think so, Zuko!" Katara hissed. "You don't even know what is going on. Ozai didn't tell you I was alive and I see why."

Zuko looked away from her and clenched his fists. That was right. He didn't know what the hell was going on. Katara was dead. He saw her corpse. It was awful but he knew it had been her.

"To give you an idea about who we're dealing with, I did die. I jumped off that balcony and died. But Atsou can resurrect people." Katara watched Zuko's eyes widen in horror. "And that's not the only thing. There's worse. So listen to me when I tell you that I don't have a say in any of this. He tells me to jump, I say 'how high'. He tells me to kill and I don't ask questions, the job is done."

Shaking his head as he sees that Katara was trying to stress to him the severity of what was going on. Zuko had done research and he learned of Atsou from records and investigating. However; it never dawned on him that his uncle would be that powerful but then again...he was his father's twin.

Sighing as he finally understood the gravity of their situation, "So tell me this one thing."

"What?"

"Which of them is the good twin?" Zuko tilted his head as if he had been thinking this for a while.

Katara tried not to laugh but that was a question she had been asking herself too, "What if I told you that there is no good twin?" She burst into laughter as she saw Zuko's eyes widened.

"You're kidding?"

Shaking her head, "I wish."

"Well, isn't that just great?"

…..

A/N:

Katara lured Ozai with sex again! Personally, I loved writing their interactions. They're in such different places and neither of them are really the same as they had been before. Wonder how future encounters with this will go. Thanks for reading and leave some much feedback.