Chapter Fifteen

Every time they brought her limp, dripping body back from her torture sessions Zuko feared for her life. He would obediently hang back as they opened the door, but as they flung her lifeless body in, he dove to catch her, managing much better now that he was healed then before. He clutched her sodden, frigid body to him, raising his internal temperature as he began to knead life and heat back into her. Her pulse was slow and lips alarmingly blue. He worked fast to get the blood flowing to her extremities. As things progressed the violent shivers lessened and color slowly returned. Groggy mumbling, usually incoherent, started to fall from her lips long before her eyes would actually open.

"Save him…" Zuko strained to make out that much.

"Damn it. Why did you do that?" He grumbled, angry at himself for being so weak that she felt the need to make these sacrifices for him. He placed his warm palms on her face, lightly running his thumbs over the smooth skin. Her eyes twitched, fighting to open. "Wake up Katara." He coaxed quietly. There were things he wanted to discuss. Finally blue eyes peered up between dark lashes.

"Zuko." She mumbled quietly. A content look crossed her face and she closed her eyes again, snuggling closer to the heat of his body.

"Are you warm?"

"Mm-hm." She mumbled.

"Good. Katara… Katara wake up."

"But I'm so tired." He could feel her breath on his stomach through the new shirt the guards had given him to replace the tattered one he had.

A twinge of guilt pinged through him. He'd bet his crown that she hadn't bothered to heal herself when she healed him. In fact he could still make out light bruises on her face and the remnants of restraints on her wrists. She was so exhausted from saving him. But he needed answers. "Please Katara, this is important."

"Zuko." It was quiet and resigned. She struggled to sit and he helped her. "What's wrong?"

He felt guilty again, watching her look so worn and beaten, looking so worried about him while he was doing fine. "What did you do?" He asked, voice a little choked with emotion.

She sat stiffly and tried to slide off Zuko's lap, despite still being damp and cold. She knew he was going to get angry and that would be worse than getting colder. Once she had put a few feet between them she decided a hole in her shirt was fascinating. She spoke to it instead of her temperamental friend who had been trapped underground for over two weeks. "I healed you." She said simply.

"I kind of figured that part out. How did you convince Cain to let you?"

The wet clothing clung to her and sucked the borrowed heat from her body. "I asked him."

He narrowed his eyes. She was being difficult and the frustration was growing again. "So you just asked him and he let you?" He asked harshly, skepticism heavy.

She flinched at his tone. Oh ya, he was angry. "I begged him." She amended softly.

"Cain doesn't give in to begging."

"What do you want from me?" She asked bristling and looking up at his expectant gaze.

"The truth!" He shouted, arms crossed over his chest as he glowered at her.

She felt as if she'd been struck but she was tired and running low on patience. "What did you want me to do?! You were dying!" She shouted back. "I did what I had to."

He was on her before she knew what to do. He was gripping his arms painfully, inches from her face and shaking her a little. "What did you do?" He growled.

He had pulled her to her knees and she turned her fear to anger. "Let go of me Zuko! That hurts!" She tried to rip out of his grip but he held strong and she was still tired. "I made a deal! I told him I'd do what he wanted, that I wouldn't fight him anymore!"

His eyes squinted in pain and his voice came out a little broken. "Why would you do that?"

"Have you not been listening?! When you came back, you were hurt so badly you were going to die!" She was seething with rage so she was stunned when he clutched her to him suddenly. Her arms were splayed awkwardly to the side as one of his hands cradled the back of her head; face buried into her shoulder, the other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her taut to him.

"You shouldn't have done that. Do you know what he can do to you? It's almost like you gave him permission to do that to you." He almost sounded frightened and that quickly released Katara's anger and she deflated into him.

"I was scared." She slowly embraced him back. "I didn't want you to die. I had to do something." She squeezed him for a moment.

"It's okay." He soothed. "How long have we been down here?"

He sat back and pulled her in front of him to warm up and dry off. "Well, it's been about a week for me and two for you."

He held her from behind, legs stretched on either side of her. "That means Toph will be here any time now."

"Ya. Her and Aang and your Uncle. We'll be out of here soon." The hollow comforts left a silence in their wake.

"If he touches you, I'll kill him." Zuko told her. Such a serious threat in such a conversational tone, it was surprising; almost like he was discussing the weather. She burrowed back further, getting as close to him as she could. Right here, surrounded by him and his warmth she felt safe. She didn't even contemplate the threat Zuko made; it wouldn't matter. Right here, she was safe, nothing could harm her. They stayed like that until they heard the tell tale sound of boots scraping along the stone floor. They stood and Zuko gave her hand a quick squeeze before subtly blocking her from view. Cain came strolling into view looking happy, the chi blocker and other guard following.

"Katara." He curled his finger. "Come here."

She watched Zuko's body go rigid as she stepped around him and to the door.

"Closer."

She was almost pressed against the bars.

"Good. Take her bending." She held perfectly still as the chi blocker jabbed her.

"Zuko. You're next." Zuko did as he was told, but didn't appear as cooperative.

"Isn't she so good Zuko?" He asked, something flashing in his eyes. He reached through the bars and stroked her hair. Rage flared in Zuko and threatened to burst forth. Katara took a small side step out from under him, pretending to adjust her shoe. He laughed at the disgusted and murderous look Zuko was giving him. "Give them their slop." He instructed, turning on his heel and disappearing down the hall with the chi blocker leaving the last guard to slide the tray under the bars before retreating as well.

Katara spooned up some of the gruel once they had pulled it to the back of the cell with them. She let it slip off her spoon and land with a disgusting plop. She grimaced and looked at Zuko. "They'll be here any time now."

Zuko nodded and they both dug into their dinner. When they were finished Zuko lay down and stretched out his arm for Katara to pillow her head on as she snuggled up to him. Her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, letting out a deep sigh as they settled in to sleep.

The next morning after they were taken to relieve themselves and served breakfast, Cain seemed extra excited. Never a good sign. He rubbed his meaty palms together and ran a tongue over his stained and jagged teeth. "Oh you two are in for a treat tomorrow."

"Why? Is that your execution date?" Zuko spat.

Katara gave him a wide eyed look.

"Funny. I'm going to enjoy our session today." The door opened and the chi blocker darted in but Zuko didn't resist. Cain entered as the chi blocker left. "You think you're so clever." He hissed and slammed a ham hand into Zuko's stomach. The air escaping his lungs was audible and he bent double. He wound up and punched Zuko across the face as he was hunched and prone.

"No!" Katara said, taking a half step towards them.

Zuko waved her off and Cain eyed her. "Shut up!" He struck her with enough force to send her stumbling and clutching her cheek. "Do as you're told! Get in the corner and not another peep from you or you'll regret it!" He shouted.

She obeyed mostly because of Zuko's silent instruction and waited in the corner as he was dragged out. While she was waiting for Zuko to be returned and her own torture session, she mulled over the words Cain had spoken. You two are in for a treat tomorrow. What did that mean? Whatever it was, it sure wasn't good for them. She pondered it, coming up with horrible scenarios, one after the other as she pressed her throbbing cheek to the cold stone wall.

Zuko was thrown in, landing in a crouch, which was always a good sign. He was lightly marred with bruises, cuts and small burns, but he appeared rather unscathed.

"Are you alright?" She asked placing a worried hand on his arm after the guards shuffled off.

"I'll live."

"Anything really bad?" She asked, trying to look him over with a critical eye. It was hard in his baggy prisoner clothes he had inherited over his stay here as his became too damaged to even wear.

"I'm okay." He assured her, pulling her in for a hug as reassurance for the both of them.

"I'm worried." She confessed, lingering in the embrace.

"Aang, Toph and Uncle will be here soon and I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about."

"That's not what concerns me. Cain said we were in for a treat tomorrow." She pulled back to stare into his eyes, trying to impress upon him the importance of those words. "Whatever happens tomorrow won't be good."

Zuko ran a thumb across her cheek then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's just trying to scare us."

"It's working. But it's not just that. Something bad is going to happen."

He pulled her back in for another hug. "Everything will be okay. We can handle it if we're together."

She nodded slowly. Maybe there was hope after all. She had to stay positive. All those positive feelings drained away however when they heard the all too familiar approach once again. She clutched Zuko's hand for a moment, knowing what was coming. She drew strength from the fact that he gave it a comforting squeeze. He'd be here for her after, like he always was.

"Come here." Cain barked. After normal procedure of taking away her bending and verbally tormenting Zuko some, Cain ordered her down the hall.

Zuko worked his magic like he did every time she came back sodden and looking like death. Feeling returned and so did her bright disposition that even the frigid waters failed to completely extinguish. Dinner rolled around and to their amazement, there was more of it. The tasteless glop was piled high on the tray tonight. Cain had his arms crossed and watched them as they retrieved their meal.

"What's this for?" Zuko asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Tomorrow's the big day. You'll need your energy."

"Big day for what?" Zuko demanded.

Cain laughed and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "It's a surprise."

Sarahplainntall here! What's the surprise?! I'm finding it really hard to get time to write chapters, I work 10-12 hour days so I'm starting to fall behind. If you review, it's good motivation. I'll need more to keep going.