The only thing I own is the plot on your screen. If you plan to take my ideas and put them into your own fanfic, claiming to be your own mind that thought them up, get a hobby. Plagiarism is wrong, don't do it!
A/N- I remember when I got a whole bunch of reviews asking me to bring back Admiral Zhao. So I did. And you want to know what happened when I did? I got a whole bunch of reviews asking me "why the hell didyou bring him back?" Because you guys freaking asked me too! Oh well, I love Zhao, he is so awesome. So whatever. Any who, to those people who thanked me for bringing him back:
YOU'RE SO WELCOME!
Katara and Sokka had gathered the food they needed for their trip, and headed back to camp. Aang had informed them that Appa needed to rest for at least one more day before departure. The rest of the day, the trio just rested or talked about their future after the Avatar saved the world. Katara and Sokka decided that Aang would stay with them after the war, so he'd have a place to call home. After their long discussion, they all prepared for bed, deciding that they better rest well incase anything overly exciting happened the next day. The teenagers laid in their bedrolls, thinking about what had happened earlier that day. Katara had not bothered telling Aang about Prince Zuko (or Zhao), considering that he was still young, and he didn't know much about love, or sex for that matter.
Sokka turned on his side and looked at his sister. Her eyes were closed and her face was towards the sky. "Katara, are you awake?" he asked quietly, not wanting to wake the Avatar.
Katara hesitated on opening her eyes, she wanted a bit more time to think, but she couldn't just ignore her brother. "Yea, I am," she answered softly. She turned her head and smiled at Sokka.
"We need to talk," he stated and slipped out of his sleeping bag. "Come on."
Katara nodded and got up. She felt it was coming. Her brother wasn't the type of person that just let things go. He always wanted an explanation for everything. She took a deep breath and followed her brother to a secluded spot on their campsite. Sitting down, she observed Sokka's serious expression. "OK, what do you want to talk about?" Well, that was a stupid question…
"Tell me what happened with Admiral Zhao," he said bluntly. There was no point going around the bush, considering the fact that everything was already out in the open. Thanks to Zhao.
"Oh," she breathed. "Are you sure? I don't want you to get all weird on me."
Sokka nodded. Earlier, he had mentally prepared himself for anything awful that his sister would say. "I'm sure Katara. Now tell me. I need to know."
"Where do I begin?" she asked uncertainly.
"When you first came in contact with Admiral Zhao."
"Alright." She sighed deeply and thought for a moment. "Prince Zuko had just sent me to my room after I told him that another Fire Navy Ship was approaching us. I waited in there until a couple of guards came in and took me out to the deck. That's when I first met him. He questioned me about who I was and where I was from. Then, he asked me what my relationship with Aang was and I told him that he was just my friend. He somehow found it amusing and began to laugh, and not long after that he slapped me, telling me to speak louder. I remember Prince Zuko getting really angry at him and telling him not to touch me. Zhao just laughed at him and ordered him to take me to his room during the night…for 'inspection'. After he left, I begged Zuko not to make me go, but he said that there was nothing that he could do. I pleaded but Zuko still didn't change his mind. I told him that I hated him and went back to my room. I was so scared. So many things were going through my mind," Katara stopped for a moment.
"What happened? Did he take you to Zhao's room?" Sokka asked, a little worried about what her answer might be.
"Prince Zuko came to get me during the night and I tried to talk him out of it one last time, but it didn't work. Luckily, my pleads were heard by somehow else. Iroh came out into the deck, and dismissed me from going to the Admiral's room. I went back to my room and soon afterwards, Zuko came to apologize."
"Did you accept his apology?" Sokka asked angrily.
Katara nodded, "Yea I did. I knew why he was going to do it. That Admiral is intimidating, I guess Prince Zuko was just tired of being harassed by the guy. But, something inside me thinks that Zuko wouldn't have gone through with it. He's not that awful."
"If you say so," the warrior said unconvinced.
"The next day Prince Zuko got a fever, so after I cured him with the ice technique, I headed to deck to practice my water bending."
"Wait, you cured Prince Zuko with the ice technique? Doesn't he have to be naked for that?"
"Yes but I didn't take all of his clothes off, just his shirt."
Sokka sighed in relief, "Good. Anyways, continue."
"While I was practicing my bending, Admiral Zhao came from behind and grabbed my wrist. He said some things and tried to kiss me but I spit in his face. Unfortunately that just got him angrier and he dragged me to the meditating room," she closed her eyes. …I want you. "Not long after being in there with Zhao, Prince Zuko heard my cries and he came in before something more horrible happened."
"What did he do to you in that room Katara?"
"He touched me," she whispered awkwardly as she felt sad tears beginning to form.
"I'm so sorry Katara. I failed you and I'm so sorry," Sokka said guiltily. "Thank the heavens, it just happened once--"
"No Sokka," Katara corrected. "It did not just happen once. It happened twice and the second time was too close. He almost got what he wanted the second time, but thankfully, Prince Zuko ran in just in time and kicked Zhao out of there."
"Twice?" he asked incredulously. He couldn't believe what his sister was saying. "What happened the second time?"
"I had just gotten out from the shower room and I was about to make the bed, when I heard someone walk in behind me. I thought it was Prince Zuko, but when I turned around I realized it was Admiral Zhao. He pushed me down onto the bed and started taking off my clothes. I was screaming and yelling and nobody would come in to save me. Zuko was taking a shower and Iroh was who-knows-where," her voice cracked and tears spilled from her eyes. "Nobody could hear me." Scream all you want little girl. Everyone is too busy to hear you, his voice rang in her head like a broken record. Suddenly, her tears began to slow their flow as the memory of her mother's voice entered her mind. "I was about to give up, when I heard mom's voice telling me to scream one last time. And when I did, Prince Zuko walked in and rescued me."
Sokka didn't even realize that he was holding his breath, until Katara finished talking. "Thanks to mother you're alright," he sighed in relief.
"Yea, and thanks to Prince Zuko too," she added with a smile. I miss him so much…
"Yea, thanks to him too," Sokka whispered reluctantly. Mental note: Remember to thank Prince Zuko when I see him. He sighed as though admitting defeat to some sort of silent battle. He crossed his arms and watched Katara wipe the last of her tears. "So tell me, when did this love for Prince Zuko start?"
She let out a small laugh, "I couldn't really tell you. I guess it just happened gradually. But when I admitted to myself that I loved him, I felt so awful. I felt like I had betrayed you and Aang."
"Does he know that you love him?"
Katara shook her head. "As far as I know, he thinks I hate him."
"Why does he think that? What did you say to him after he confessed that he loved you?" he asked.
"I didn't say anything," she answered. Sokka gave her a confused face and she smiled. "Every night before he went to sleep, Zuko would come and lock my room so nobody, but him, could come in. One night, he came into my room and I heard him place a chair by my side. I didn't budge or make a noise…I didn't even open my eyes. Suddenly, I hear him telling me that he cared about me and that he wanted to marry me," she paused to let out a small laugh. "He even said that he'd try to get along with you (like that's some sort of sacrifice on his part). He said a couple more things, but those became a blur after he told me that he loved me. The whole time he thought I was asleep, that's why I didn't tell him that I loved him too."
"Do you want to marry him too?"
She smiled at her brother, "It would be nice but I couldn't do that to you."
Sokka sighed. I'm going to regret this. "Katara, I love you more than anything in this world. If you're happy, I'm happy. If marrying Prince Zuko means happiness for you, then go for it. Marry him."
She widened her eyes in complete surprise. "You mean that?"
"Yea," he whispered regretfully.
She frowned. "But Aang…how would I explain to him that I'm marrying Prince Zuko?"
"Aang is family now, remember? He'll accept Zuko…even if it's from a distance. And who knows, you could influence Prince Zuko to help us. And even if you don't, we'll know that he's the one chasing us and you'll be behind him telling him to stop."
"But I'll never get to see you," she said sadly.
"We'll arrange something with that Prince," he declared.
"But what about father? Do you think he'll understand?"
Sokka gave Katara a weak smile and a soft nod. He knew that the possibilities of their father still alive, were slim, but he wasn't going to bring that up. "If he knows you're happy, he'll definitely understand."
She finally smiled and scooted closer to her brother. "I'm so lucky to have you as a brother. I love you so much Sokka." She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered happily.
He nodded softly as he stared into her sapphire eyes. He better take good care of you…or else.
"I need you. I need you to live. What am I without you, my love, myweakness." -chickygurl
Prince Zuko stood on the edge of the deck, staring out onto the ocean. The moon shone over his ship, casting strange shadows on the walls. The happy stars danced in the sky, looking down at the Earth who wished upon them. He remembered a time when he used to wish upon the shiny objects before he went to sleep at night. A time when he used to be happy, when nothing burdened his shoulders. What happened? What happened to the joyful boy that used to smile at everyone? What happened to the boy that was optimistic about everything? The boy who would play games with his uncle. The boy who would dream about his future as Fire Lord. What happened to him?
His father murdered him when he placed that scar upon his face. He died when his father told him that he was not wanted anymore.
Since then, he no longer smiled. He didn't look at the world with optimism. He no longer played games with his silly uncle, and he especially didn't dream about becoming Fire Lord. Now this boy was a man. And this man didn't smile, he yelled at everyone that stood in his path. This man wasn't optimistic, he faced cruel reality. This man didn't play games, he fought wars. This man didn't dream…he wished.
But his father didn't know what happened during those two years that his son has been away. Sure, Zuko had gone through endless suffering, but through it all something amazing happened.
Katara.
Something he never expected. She had meant absolutely nothing to him in the very beginning. She was just there to get him what he wanted, but in the end, his plan backfired. Why? He didn't know what he was dealing with. He was messing with the one weakness he had, and that was compassion. Compassion, the one thing that got him in this mess in the first place. Compassion gave him that scar. She had come into his life and unleashed that emotion. She showed him that it was OK to care and made him fall in love with her. Love…
Another weakness.
He wasn't sure when this "weakness" started to grow. In fact, he'd swear to the Gods that it was still growing. This feeling was so unwanted to him. It felt like a damn disease in the beginning, consuming his entire being like some flesh-eating parasite. And here he was, standing on his ship, thinking about his weakness. Missing it.
Prince Zuko sighed as a giant wave crashed against the front of his ship. He looked up at the sky and smiled. Katara. He looked for the brightest star in the sky. Finding it, he thought for a moment and closed his golden eyes. I wish to see Katara again… A giant warmth overwhelmed him as the memories of his childhood returned to him. The cool ocean breeze brushed against his face and he noticed a small piece of land peek over the horizon. He gazed at it for a moment and turned around. He looked up at the Captain's window and pointed to the small dot in the distance after he caught the Captain's eye. "Head for that island. We'll continue our search for the Avatar over there," he ordered and turned around. Hope gleamed in his eyes as he stared at the isle, please be there…
A/N- I wasn't going to put Zuko in this chapter, but I changed my mind…after all this is a Zuko x Katara fanfic. So I put a little Zuko history in this chapter, just so you know what goes through his brain. I worked a lot on Zuko's part so be grateful…I did that part over FOUR times.
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