Chapter 15: Departure

And I'm trying to catch a breath through the air of death
Can't see the sun for the clouds
Those dirty clouds

"Hey Katara."

Katara slowly raised her head from where it had been resting on the small cot. She had been by her brother's side ever since he had first fallen into unconsciousness. "Sokka!"

He smiled weakly down at her. "It's me, alright."

"Do you need anything? Water? More medicine?"

Sokka laughed a bit at her flustered questions. "Boy, if you pampered me like this all the time, instead of just when I'm sick, my life would be perfect."

She slapped him jokingly on his uninjured arm. "Don't push it! You're lucky I even care about you enough to stay here with you." But inside, she was rejoicing at the mere fact that Sokka was awake and conscious again. All the banter between the siblings was just their way of reassuring each other that they were both alive and okay.

Sokka watched his sister while she moved around, pouring him a drink. That bruise on her cheek had subsided significantly since he'd last talked to her. "How long have I been out?"

"About a week." She replied, and handed him the cup. He took it with his uninjured arm. After drinking the whole cup, Sokka set it aside and held his newly bandaged arm up to the light. They both inspected the neat, white, crisscrossing fabric.

"The doctors said that if you'd waited any longer, you might have lost the arm." Katara said quietly.

"Doctors? Where did you get doctors to treat me?"

"Of course doctors! I didn't heal you myself, if that's what you're asking."

"How did you find doctors in this palace?"

She averted her gaze from him, busying her hands with cleaning up some non-existent lint on the bed. "They were Zuko's doctors. The royal physicians."

Sokka said nothing, tight-lipped.

Katara knew what he was thinking. She was strangely annoyed by his stubbornness. "As you seem so grateful, I've already thanked Zuko for his help."

Sokka glared at her. "It's his fault that I was sick in the first place!"

"And then he saved you."

"He didn't save me! His physicians did!"

"He could have ordered you thrown back into the dungeons for dead!"

"He should have!" Sokka burst out. "I never want to be in that man's debt! I'm not grateful for anything he's done for me."

It was Katara's turn to be silent.

"Don't tell me you're grateful to him!"

Her head shot up, eyes blazing at him. "I'm grateful for the mere fact that you are alive! And if that means that I owe Zuko for this, then I'll push away my pride and thank him for saving my brother!"

"Fine."

"Fine."

Sokka was immediately sorry. He hadn't been awake for ten minutes and he and Katara were already fighting. "Hey, Kat?" He ventured.

"Yes?" Her voice was cool.

"I know that you probably don't want to talk about this," He swallowed, then sat straight up with confidence. "But you were wrong. You were wrong when you said Zuko was going to win."

"Did the fever do something to your brain?" Katara said, but without any anger, just weariness. "I've already explained it to you. I won't do it again."

"You might think Zuko will win because he is the stronger one and because he is a murderer. But I have faith in Aang, even if he's only a child." Sokka's eyes were filled with hope. "I have faith in the prophecy."

Katara just shook her head. She was convinced her brother was deluded. "Okay, Sokka. You can have faith in whoever you want to have faith in. But you haven't seen the things I've seen." You haven't seen the blood and the violence I've seen.

Sokka just brushed it aside. "Aang will win."

Katara hated being divided on anything with her brother. She hated it when they disagreed. But she could do nothing about it this time. "Let's not talk about this anymore." Because I'm sick and tired of arguing with everybody in my life.

Sokka sighed, leaning back again. "Good idea."

"I'm glad you agree."

They were both silent for a moment, merely enjoying each other's presence.

"Katara?"

"Yeah."

"Do you- do you know what's going to happen to me now?"

"What do you mean? You're going to get better."

"I mean afterwards. Do I go back in the cell?"

"I don't know, Sokka. It's not my decision." She shook her head. "You're not my prisoner. If I had it my way, you and Aang would both be out and free by now."

Sokka changed track. "Then tell me, what happens to you?"

"What's been happening every day since I got kidnapped. I live. I think. I wait."

"Wait for what?"

"For something to happen, I guess."

Sokka regarded her closely. Time to ask the question. "Katara, why does he- why does Zuko keep you up here?"

Katara averted her gaze, as if she could avoid the question by doing so. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I mean why doesn't he just shove you in a cell like and Aang? Why does he keep you with him all the time?"

"If he has a reason, he hasn't told me." Katara whispered. And even she herself wasn't exactly sure of the reason.

"I mean, if anyone should deserve special treatment, it should be Aang, right?" Sokka looked at his sister fully. "Not that I don't think you're undeserving of anything, but Aang's the reason why we're all here in the first place. Me and you, we're just part of the package. We're just people who hang around the Avatar."

Katara wanted out of this conversation fast. It was approaching things she wasn't ready to reveal to her brother. Things she never wanted to tell him.

"Katara, look at me." Sokka said earnestly. "You know that if anything's wrong, you gotta tell me, right? You know I'll try to help."

If I tell you, you'll hate me. You'll condemn me, you'll call me a whore, slut, prostitute, someone who doesn't deserve to be your sister and have your protection. If I tell you, you won't ever be able to help me. Not even if you wanted to.

She put on a light-hearted smile. "I guess he probably keeps me with him so you and Aang will worry about me. It's his own form of torture. Making you worry!" She laughed a bit at her own joke, and she was surprised at how easily it came out.

Surprised at how easily she could lie to her brother.

Sokka accepted it for the moment, a small smile on his face too. But Katara could see he was still worried, and still not entirely convinced. However, they were both tired and would give the problem a rest for now.

Sokka closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them wide again, as if startled. "Hey. Did you put something in the water? I'm feeling suspiciously sleepy." He gave her a grin.

She couldn't help grinning back, waving a finger at him. "Yes. Sleeping powder. The physicians said you need your rest."

"I just woke up!"

"So? You have to sleep again."

"Fine, mother." Sokka closed one eye and smirked at her. Even though it had been a joke, it did not disguise the pain both siblings felt. Their mother was gone. Dead. She would never come back, and however hard Katara tried to take care of her tiny family, she knew she would never take the place of the woman who had given life to both of them.

Soon enough, he'd fallen asleep, and Katara left the room, closing it tight behind her.


Zuko breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Katara come out into the hall again. She'd done nothing but stay awake next to her brother for the whole week. He knew that she wasn't getting any sleep. She worries over him too much, he thought, slightly annoyed. The doctors already said he'd be fine. But he knew that Katara had no other family members left, not that he knew of. Sokka was her remaining tie to her old life. A life when she hadn't had to deal with temperamental Fire Lords and the loss of her freedom.

"How is he doing?" Zuko asked, when Katara neared. She had deep shadows under her eyes. He couldn't have cared less how that bratty boy was doing. What he had meant to say was how are you doing

"Fine. He actually woke up today." Katara smiled up at him. "He's definitely getting better."

And you're still dead tired. "What are you going to do for now?"

"I was thinking a quick shower, something to eat, and then I'll go back and stay with him for the night." It was already early evening. She gave him another tired smile and went into his room. Zuko followed close behind.

"I don't think you should stay up tonight. You should get some rest, sleep in a normal bed for once." Please don't let me sound like I care too much. "It's just a suggestion."

"Zuko." She gave him a look before stepping into the bathroom connected with his bedroom. "We already went over this every single night for a week. I can't rest until I'm sure Sokka is okay."

"You said yourself that he woke up today. He's fine."

"I know. But still."

"Still what?" But she'd already closed the bathroom door in his face. Zuko clenched his jaw. Katara was so caught up in caring for someone else that she'd forgotten entirely about her own health. Zuko wondered what it would be like to care so much about someone else that you stopped caring about your own needs. That you put away your own ambitions, your own goals in order to make room for the person you loved. If he was lucky, he'd find out someday.

Maybe he was already finding out.

He scowled. If Katara wasn't going to realize her own weariness and admit she needed sleep, then he'd make her sleep. Zuko left the room, not bothering to lock it behind him, and crossed the hallway to the sickroom. When he entered, he barely spared a glance for Sokka, who was sleeping peacefully on the cot. Zuko spied the small pouch of white substance that contained the powder for a good sleeping draught. It was the same one Katara had used earlier for Sokka. He pocketed it and returned to his own room.

Zuko was startled to see that another boy was there. It was that servant who'd been with them on the ship. He was looking around confusedly, then finally heard Zuko's footsteps. The stranger whirled around, almost dropping the tray he was holding. He recognized Zuko, then fear took over.

"Oh! Oh… my Lord… I was- I was just looking for the Lady." He stammered.

What was his name again? Oh yes, Kaz. Zuko didn't usually make it a point to remember the servants' names. "She's in the bathroom." Zuko replied coolly, nodding at the closed door. Who did this servant boy think he was, just barging into the room whenever he wanted to?

"Oh. Oh- I see." Kaz ducked his head and brought the tray up in front of him, as if hoping to hide behind it. "I brought her- her dinner."

"Just set it on the table."

Kaz nervously did so, almost tipping over the pitcher of water. Zuko refrained from rolling his eyes. The boy was so frightened of him he could barely do his job. It occurred to him that if Katara had been outside at the moment, she would have rushed over and helped the boy and reassured him that he was doing everything fine. But Zuko just stood there and watched.

When he was done, Zuko thanked him in a business-like voice. Kaz scurried out of the room, a bit disappointed that he hadn't been able to talk to the lady tonight. He dearly hoped she was feeling better.

Zuko shut the door behind the servant, and examined the food. He poured just a little of the white powder into everything. The soup, bread, salad, and water. If she didn't eat one thing, she had to eat something else. He made sure to stir the soup so the powder dissolved, and moved the other foods around so nothing white was visible. There.


After the tub was filled to the brim with hot water, Katara sank in gratefully. Zuko's private bathroom was nothing to laugh at. No trees, outhouses, or regular holes in the ground for this Fire Lord. Indoor plumbing, marble tub, metal fixtures and an assortment of soaps and shampoos were available, most of which had never been opened. Being royalty certainly did have its perks.

Immersing her head completely under the water, she scrubbed her scalp gently. It felt good to be clean again. Looking after Sokka wasn't much work. She just had to feed him and bring him water to drink whenever he woke up. But it was tiresome worrying all the time. Zuko had told her to get some sleep tonight. The temptation to just fall in bed and close her eyes was great, but her concern for her brother was even stronger.

Sighing, she rose out of the bathtub, water dripping down her body. She dried herself off with a large white fluffy towel, and proceeded to dress again. Her Water Tribe clothes were long gone, and since arriving at the palace, Zuko had notified the servants to provide her with her own clothes. They were pretty much similar to her old outfit of loose leggings with a robe on the outside. Except everything was red and black. Fire Nation colors. Of course Katara preferred blue, but all that mattered was having something to wear. Color really wasn't a major issue.

Hair still damp, she exited the bathroom. Zuko was on the couch, looking deep in thought. Katara began to braid her hair, and noticed the food.

"Did Kaz come already?"

Zuko looked at her and replied "Yes. Do you usually just allow him to come in whenever he wants?"

"He knocks first, of course."

"The door was open this time."

"Zuko," She said. "Don't get paranoid about it. Kaz is a child. He's a servant. What harm could he do?"

Zuko ignored her, gesturing at the food. "Your dinner's here."

"What about you?"

"I've already eaten."

"Alright." Katara sat down, and inside she prayed that there would be no adverse effects. Taking a quick sniff of everything, she immediately crossed out the bread, meat, and soup. Her stomach rebelled at the thought of ingesting anything but water and a simple salad. Picking up her fork, she began to eat the vegetables.

Zuko watched her carefully. When he didn't look away after a few minutes, she began to get annoyed.

"What, Zuko?"

"Are you vegetarian or something? You only ever eat the salad."

She was a bit surprised at first, then covered up quickly. "No. I'm just not feeling very hungry." In truth, she was starving. But she wasn't going to throw up in front of Zuko.

"You're never hungry."

"Just because I don't eat like a pig doesn't mean I'm not eating healthy."

Zuko decided not to push it anymore. All he had to do now was wait.

Soon enough, Katara finished her light dinner and drank the last of the water. She rose to gather everything on the tray again before Kaz would be back the next morning to take it away. She realized that she felt much more drowsy than she'd thought herself. All this staying up during the night with Sokka must be getting to her.

Katara set the tray on the small dresser next to the door for Kaz to pick up. She was walking back to wipe down the table she'd eaten at, when her mind began to shut down. So tired. I'm so tired. Her knees felt shaky, her whole body felt like just slipping under the blankets and drifting away into unconsciousness. But she still had to go back and take care of Sokka. She still had things to do.

Her mind was barely aware when her legs caught on the couch arm and she tipped over, weakly grasping the upholstery. All her senses were slowly shutting down. Oh I'm tired.

She dimly registered in her peripheral vision the shadow of Zuko standing up and moving towards her. Katara tried waving him away carelessly, but her arms didn't seem to be responding. Why weren't they responding? I'm so tired.

Katara felt Zuko's arms catch her as her legs gave out, and lift her to set her down on the bed. She tried to tell him to take her back to Sokka's room. "I… have to…"

But all he did was put his hand gently over her mouth and whisper something she couldn't hear.

Katara was in a deep, dreamless sleep before Zuko got into bed next to her.


Sokka woke up in the middle of the night. He really had to pee, and made quick use of the chamber pot underneath his bed. But afterwards, he couldn't fall asleep again. He would have used the sleeping powder Katara had given him earlier, but it wasn't on the table where she'd left it. How strange. Sokka wanted to talk to his sister again. Their conversation from before had left him with a nagging worry. He hadn't liked the way she'd passed off his inquiries lightly and laughed at all his concerned questions about her welfare. And he hadn't liked that shadow in her eyes when he'd asked her if she had any problems she needed help with. He didn't like seeing her anything other than happy.

And this was the first night that she hadn't stayed in the room with him. Why wasn't she here tonight? Sokka didn't feel the need to be coddled like a baby all the time, but still, it worried him when Katara wasn't where she said she'd be. And she'd said she would be back to help him.

If she wasn't here, she was probably back in her room, sleeping. Sokka couldn't blame her. His sister sometimes got so caught up with worrying about other people that she didn't take the time off to worry about herself. He was glad she was resting but he needed to talk to her again. To make sure she was alright.

Opening the door to his room, he crept carefully out into the hallway. The cold marble chilled his bare feet, and he looked up and down the darkness of the hallway. There were no guards around. Of course. What was the threat from a sick, bedridden man? And the Fire palace was in no danger from being attacked. Not with that enormous Fire Navy out in the harbor, and an entire city surrounding the castle.

And who in the world had serious power to mount a real offensive against the Fire Nation? Most of the rebel factions were broken up in small groups all over the world, more concerned with defending their own land than attacking the Fire Nation. They didn't want the Fire Nation territory. They just wanted their own territory back.

Sokka quietly crossed the hallway. Bright moonlight shone through the gigantic windows. He turned the doorknob to Katara's room as quietly as he could. Zuko wasn't locking her up anymore. Obviously he knew that Katara wouldn't even think of leaving, not when her brother was sick. But, thought Sokka, as soon as I'm well enough and can take care of myself without medicine, I'm leaving with Katara and Aang.

Pushing open the door slightly, he peered inside, the moonlight spilling through the crack. It illuminated the faces of the people occupying the big bed. There was Katara, sleeping peacefully, her dark hair spread out on the pillow. But she wasn't alone.

Was that Zuko next to her?


Zuko was awake the instant someone laid their hand on the doorknob and opened the door to his room. Although he was Fire Lord now and could take as much rest as he wanted, the soldier in him kept him a light sleeper. He was always ready to leap up the minute an enemy attacked, even if it was in the middle of the night.

Zuko tensed in bed, wondering who would have the audacity to sneak into the Fire Lord's room at two in the morning. Was it a servant? An assassin, even?

Light illuminated the face of the intruder. Zuko's eyes narrowed. Was it… Sokka?

And in less than three steps, Zuko was out of bed, crossing the floor to the door. He shoved Sokka backwards out into the hall, and the Water boy landed hard on his backside.

"Are you crazy?" Zuko hissed in the silence of the empty hallway. "Were you trying to wake Katara up? She's spent all her energy taking care of you! Don't you care that she's on the verge of a breakdown and needs her sleep? "

An unbelievable expression of hatred and anger crossed the younger boy's face as he sat on the ground where he'd fallen. "What were you doing in bed with my sister?"

Zuko was momentarily confused. Oh. So Katara hadn't told her brother anything. Not a single thing.

"Sleeping." Zuko answered warily, knowing Sokka wouldn't take this well at all.

Sokka was already scrambling up from the floor, and leapt at Zuko, pinning the Fire Lord to the wall. "What were you doing with Katara?" Rage clouded his mind.

But Zuko was well trained in all the arts of a warrior. He was older and had more experience. He pushed Sokka off him violently and shoved him to the other wall. The hallway echoed when Sokka impacted with the stone.

"I was making sure she got her rest!" Zuko hissed.

Sokka struggled against him. "Did you touch her, you bastard? Did you touch her?"

"What are you accusing me of?"

"You know what I mean! Don't play the part of an innocent little boy, Zuko, we both know what I mean!"

Abruptly, Zuko let go of him and Sokka stumbled back to the middle of the hallway.

The Fire Lord wasn't looking at him now. He gazed out the window, a blank look in his eyes. "That's not for me to say. If your sister feels like telling you about her personal life, she'll tell you. Otherwise, I'll keep her privacy for her."

Sokka bristled. Zuko made it sound like Sokka was the bad guy, and Zuko was the one Katara trusted. It's not that way!

And at the same time, Sokka despaired of the fact that something had been going on. Something had happened, and Katara hadn't told him about it. In fact, she'd practically lied. She'd laughed her way out of it, telling him nothing was wrong. Why didn't she trust him? Why didn't she think he would understand her dilemma and try to help her?

Now it was Zuko who was privy to her secrets. Sokka felt like he'd been shoved aside, replaced by this guy. Zuko.

A rustle and patter of booted footsteps from one end of the hall made them both turn around. Four guards from the Fire Army ran towards them, breathless. They stopped, surprised to see their Fire Lord.

"Your Majesty!" The first one panted out as they all arrived. "We heard the commotion and wondered if… if there was an intruder!"

Zuko held up a hand, instantly assuming authority. Sokka couldn't help but notice the way that Zuko commanded his men with confidence, a mere gesture demanding silence. And he's only one year older than me.

"I've got it under control. But thank you. Stay here for just a minute." Zuko said. He turned back to Sokka, his face a mask of diplomatic neutrality now. The previous violence and anger were gone, completely covered up. He took something from the inside of his robe. Zuko held it up for Sokka to take.

Sokka opened his hand to receive the small bag, and felt it jingle when it landed in his hand. Money. Enough money to have fed the three of them for six months if they'd still been traveling.

Zuko spoke calmly. "Here's enough money to get you started. You are free to go now, Sokka. You can leave the palace, the city, the harbor, and no one will stop you. I will make sure of it."

Sokka gaped at him open-mouthed. "Wh- what?"

"You are free to go now." Zuko gazed at him without any emotion. "If you stay, you are merely using up my resources. I have no further need of you."

When Sokka didn't move, Zuko continued.

"Katara has no further need of you."

Sokka could only continue to stare, jaw open, at the Fire Lord. So this was it? Zuko thought him an annoyance now, and was paying him to leave? The Fire Lord was giving him money along with his freedom? And who was Zuko to assume that Katara didn't want Sokka around anymore? Who did he think he was? I'm her brother! He wanted to scream. I am more to her than you ever will be! All you'll ever be is her jailer!

Sokka grew angry. "If you think that giving me some coins is enough to make me abandon my sister-"

Zuko cut him off. He didn't look angry, annoyed, or happy. He looked… nothing. "I'm not asking you to leave, I'm ordering you."

"I don't have to listen to you, you-" But before he could finish, Zuko had gestured again, and the four guards had grabbed him under the arms, dragging him away.

"Take him to the border of the city. Don't let him back in, but don't stop him from leaving." The guards nodded and proceeded to take Sokka away.

Sokka struggled, trying to get back to his sister. He began to shout. "Katara! Katara, help me!"

But he was already at the end of the hallway, and the door at the end of the hall slammed shut, cutting off Sokka's cries.

Zuko stood in the moonlight, grimly satisfied. But his face did not betray any of his inner thoughts.

He turned around and went back inside the room. Back to Katara. Zuko closed the door behind him, crossed to the bed, and lifted the blankets gently before sliding underneath them, next to the warmth of Katara's body.

The sleeping powder did it's job well. The dreaming woman next to him hadn't woken up, not for a minute. He snaked an arm underneath her back, drawing her close to his chest. She mumbled something, but didn't wake. She unconsciously crept closer to his warmth, unaware of anything that had just happened.

Zuko played with a strand of her hair idly for a minute. Sokka had been a problem, and now that problem was solved. No more worries for tonight.


Katara woke up slowly the next morning, blinking the bright sunlight out of her eyes. Zuko's arm was flung around her waist. She'd never felt so content and rested in her life. She sighed happily, stretching her body like a cat in the warm sunshine. Her hand reached up, and hit the body next to her. She flipped around, smiling, and saw Zuko next to her, giving her that inscrutable look of his.

"It was a good idea for me to sleep." She admitted.

Zuko didn't say anything, just continued to look at her.

She sighed. But by now she was already used to his oblique silences. It didn't make her uncomfortable anymore. If he didn't say anything, it meant he had nothing worth saying.

Then she remembered her brother. Katara threw off her blankets and rolled out of bed. "I hope Sokka doesn't mind that I didn't go back last night. I hope he's not worried." She said out loud.

"He's not worried." Zuko said behind her, and she could tell he was out of bed now too. "He's just fine."

"How do you know?" She said as a joke. "What are you, psychic?"

Zuko didn't say anything. Katara just shrugged. Whatever. She went into the bathroom, did all her morning business quickly, and was out the door before Zuko could say anything. She heard him follow her out into the hall, but didn't really care. Would Sokka be much better today? Hopefully he could get out of bed and do some real exercise.

She quickly pulled open the door to her brother's room. "Sokka, I-"

And stopped. There was no one in there. The bed was empty.

Katara stared at the rumpled sheets. Where was her brother?

She turned around to leave the room. Maybe one of the guards had seen him leave. Maybe he was already outside doing laps around the courtyard-

Katara ran smack into Zuko, who had followed her into the room. He caught her by her arms and held her still.

"He left last night." He said calmly down to her.

"What?"

"Your brother left late last night."

She gaped at him. "What do you mean?" Her mind refused to comprehend Zuko's words. Sokka couldn't be gone.

"He's not here anymore. I let him go last night when you were asleep."

"You- you let him leave?"

"Yes." He waited for her reaction.

Katara wrenched herself away from him. "I have to find him! He's not completely well yet! The doctor was supposed to do a final check up on him today!" She said it like missing the doctor was the absolute worst thing anyone could ever do in their life. Katara took off down the hall as if thinking that if she ran fast enough, she could still find Sokka and bring him back to her.

Katara hadn't made it halfway down the hallway when Zuko caught her left wrist in her hand.

"He's long gone by now, Katara. He wanted to go. He wanted to leave." He didn't, not really, but the important thing is that he's gone.

"No he didn't! He wouldn't have left me!" Sokka you wouldn't leave me here by myself you wouldn't you wouldn't. Would you?

"He did."

She whirled around, trying to tug her wrist from his hold. He held it tightly. She stared at him incredulously, with a wary look in her eye. "I don't believe you. I know you, Zuko. I know the type of person you are. You would never release Sokka on a whim. You would never give him his freedom because you are a nice person." She spat out the last two words mockingly. "You must have an ulterior motive. I know you did something to him. He's not free."

Zuko's face tightened as well as his grip on her wrist. Katara stared back, chin lifted defiantly. So she'd angered him. Well? It was the truth. He had to face it someday. And better from her than some other poor person who had much more to lose than she did.

"Why don't you believe me?" Zuko replied in a low voice. "I let your brother go. I sent him out with a whole bagful of gold. I didn't do anything to him!" Zuko had thought that Katara would take this a completely different way. He'd thought that she'd be grateful to him for setting her brother free. He'd thought she'd love him for it. Instead, she refused to believe a single word coming out of his mouth. There is some good in me, Katara.

"I have to find him." She said steadily, ignoring his words.

Zuko's hand intensified its grip. "You can't."

"Let go! My brother is in danger!"

"Listen to me, Katara!" Zuko yelled. "Just listen to me!"

"You're hurting me." Katara looked down at Zuko's hand gripping her wrist painfully. She could see the tension in his muscles, his hold on her skin, the force he was exerting. He was beginning to twist her arm. It scared her.

He didn't seem to have heard her words.

With one flex of Zuko's hand, he could bend her to her knees, shoving her to the ground. With another twist, he could force her face into the floor. With a third, he could have her crying in pain, begging him to stop. She was no match for his strength, and they both knew it.

Don't let it happen again please no more bruises I'm so tired of it please.

Zuko released her, and Katara brought her arm trembling to her chest.

They stared at each other, a hundred years of war, prejudice, and distrust filling the space between them.

Their current situation had begun long before the two of them had even been born. Since the first Fire Lord had started his devastating war on the rest of the world, Water Tribe children had grown up with stories about the monsters that the Fire Nation people supposedly were. How they killed without mercy, how they roasted their victims, how they had no morals, no ethics, and no honor. That they waged war because that was the only way Fire people knew how to live. That they did this because Fire was an element that could not survive without destroying something else.

Fire Nation children were raised with the bigoted ideas that everyone else in the world was lesser than they were, and that's why those idiot Earth people, Water people, and Air people deserved to be conquered. Survival of the fittest. Those stupid Water Tribes with their foolish ideas of peace. If peace was so strong, why was war winning? They were all just stupid sheep, and needed strong masters from the Fire Nation to control them.

Values, ideas, and racism filled their minds.

He's a fire monster. He's predisposed towards violence. He kills. It's part of his element. I shouldn't trust him- I won't trust him. He doesn't deserve my trust. He doesn't deserve me

She's a weak little Water Bender. What does she know? All they have are their stupid ideas of peace. I shouldn't even have helped her with her brother's sickness in the first place. She doesn't deserve my help. She doesn't deserve me.

These ancient discriminations had been instilled in them since childhood. But change is possible. Wisdom can be achieved. People learn. And part of growing into adulthood is the shedding of childish notions, the realization that there are more important things in the world than what your parents have told you. However all-powerful and all-knowing your mother and father seemed to be when you were younger, the things you learn as you mature are more powerful and more enlightening. Your own experiences in life determine the type of person you are, the types or morals, ethics, and ideas you will have when you are an adult.

And this was what they had learned:

That when Katara had almost lost her brother to infection, Zuko had come through and provided her with help.

That when Zuko's temper had been at its worse and he'd hurt the people around him, physically and emotionally, Katara kept forgiving him and always giving him another chance, even when he'd thought he himself didn't deserve it.

That one night when they'd both been unbearably lonely and unbearably hopeless, they'd given themselves to each other. It had been her first time, and it had hurt like a bitch. It had been his first time, and he had been horribly insecure, wondering whether he'd done it right, and whether she was crying from physical pain or emotional pain. Wondering whether the blood was normal.

Both wondering whether or not they'd regret this for the rest of their lives.

Katara lifted her wrist to examine it in the morning light. No bruises. Maybe he's telling the truth.

Zuko followed her movements with his eyes. No fear, no anger in her expression. Maybe she believes me.

"I want to believe you, Zuko." She said calmly. "But I don't want to either." Because she wanted him to be telling her the truth, but she also didn't want to believe that her brother would have left her here by choice. Was Sokka's freedom worth more than his sister?

Zuko didn't say anything. What could he say? He'd already made his point.

Katara slipped past him, walking back towards the room. She went inside, shutting the door behind her.

Zuko stalked off in the other direction. He had things to do anyways. People to meet. Business to finish. He really needed to pay more attention to this kingdom stuff. More attention to his nation, and less attention to the girl who took up so much of his thoughts nowadays. Iroh had come to him, just a bit worried, telling him that he'd been hearing things about the new Lord Zuko. How the Fire Lord had an uncommon obsession for the Water Tribe prisoner he kept locked up in the royal wing of the palace. How Lord Zuko had no interest in any of the prospective marriages offered to him by his advisors and nobles.

I'm not obsessed with her! Zuko hissed in his mind. I'm not!


After throwing up (damn hormones) in the toilet, Katara cleaned herself up miserably and sat down on the couch, looking out the window. She was no longer chained up, and breaking the windows would be easy enough again. But for some reason now, she had no will to leave. No will to escape. At first it had been because she was too worried about her brother's health. But now that Sokka was gone… What was stopping her? Was it her concern for Aang's imprisonment?

She rested her hand on her abdomen. There was nothing to show for it now. The slightest fluctuation in weight under her skin, unnoticeable to the keenest eye. But Katara knew her own body. Even if she made it to the nearest city outside of Fire Nation borders, it would take a long time to travel there. And by then, who would hire a pregnant woman? How would she support herself? How would she feed herself and the developing child? And when her nine months were up, what would she do? Would she have the child without Zuko's knowledge? Would she go into labor in the midst of strangers, in the midst of people who did not care for her and would not help a stupid girl who'd gotten herself knocked up and refused to tell the father's name?

Hopeless. That was what she was.

She sat there on the couch, merely thinking. As emotionless as she could make herself, she laid out all her options. There were precious few.

Katara's thoughts were eventually interrupted by Kaz. He peeked in meekly, and at a small smile from her, emerged from behind the door balancing his usual tray. He brought it to her slowly.

"Your brother is looking much better today, ma'am!" He squeaked nervously, wondering if he'd gotten the relationship between his lady and the sick stranger she'd been tending right. "Much healthier."

She froze. Kaz dearly hoped he hadn't said anything wrong. "You saw my brother?"

"Yes, miss! I stayed much later than usual last night to wash dishes for a bit of extra money, and I saw him leave the palace." His eyes searched her face earnestly. "He looked much, much better!" Kaz didn't tell her about the guards. Obviously this lady was someone important, and therefore her brother had to be important as well. The guards were probably for protection. A meaningless detail.

Katara said nothing. So it was true. Zuko had not been lying. Sokka had left. And by the way Kaz had described it, he'd left quite willingly. Why? Why did you leave me, Sokka?

"Thank you." She said wearily. "Thank you, Kaz."

Kaz bobbed his head subserviently. He wanted to please this lady oh so much. She was so kind to him, giving him extra money when she knew he was already being paid. And she never yelled at him like some of the other aristocrats and high-born nobles did. She was always so nice to him. He wanted dearly to repay her. And giving her information about her brother's whereabouts was the least he could do.

"Would you like anything else, miss?"

"Oh, no thank you. I'm just a little tired, that's all."

He gave a little bow again before leaving.

Katara sat in the silence of her room, the food on the table next to her. She had no interest in food now. She'd force some of it down later, to avoid looking suspicious in front of Zuko or Kaz.

Katara lay down and rest her head against a small embroidered silk pillow on the sofa. She forced the lump of sorrow and confusion in her throat down, down, down, where it couldn't bother her anymore.

Where are you going, Sokka? Why did you go?


A/N:Lots of things in this chapter set up events and things for future chapters. Took me a bit longer to think all the details out. Sorry! As for the racism between the Water and Fire people, I thought it was something they didn't touch on much in the show. I decided to include it anyways. It's only common reasoning, right? Look at all the stereotypes and prejudices abound in our own world. Two countries at war- how could they feel anything but hate for each other? And how it's possible to feel something other than hate in the worst of situations.

I know everyone in the Avatar Z/K fan world has already done their own interpretation of the following events: Katara gets kidnapped by Zuko, they have sex, and she gets pregnant. With a few different details in between, of course. It's the most used plotline in the whole of Avatar fanfiction. Why did I choose to jump on this weary bandwagon? I know it's stupid, going along with the latest fad. But before I started writing this, I read a billion of the same plotline stories, and I thought to myself that I wanted to try it out too. I want to try writing the same things. Will I do better? Or will I do worse?

Well apart from that, once I finish this, my next Avatar fic (will also be Z/K) will be decidedly AU. Understand? It will be so different from this, using a plotline I hope is original and un-used. I've thought out most of the basics, and I'm happy with the way things are going. It'll be really, really, really alternate universe. So if you aren't prepared for that, then sorry. It'll still be in the Avatar world, but certain situations and places and events will be changed. People will still mostly be the same though.

I was wondering about Aang again: does he end up, well, fighting Zuko, like supposedly he's 'destined' to?
Noooooot teeeeeelllingggggg!

Are you going to kill Sokka? Is the baby going to die? That'd be so angsty.
Think about it: Would you fall in love with the man who killed your brother? Nope. If Sokka died, Katara would never forgive Zuko, people. And you probably know by now that our favorite sexist, sarcastic, humorous Water Tribe boy ain't dead yet. As for all further questions concerning the unborn child, my lips are sealed.

Who's your favorite character?
Ahahahahah… this is an easy question. No it's not Zuko, it's not Katara, it's not Sokka, and it's not Aang. None of the main characters. It is… THE CABBAGE MAN! He was in the Waterbending Scroll episode, and the King of Omashu episode. He's hilarious. He's the absolute best. I feel so sorry for him and his poor cabbages. I look forward to seeing him more often in future episodes. He hasn't had a cameo yet in this story though… maybe I'll put him in later!

A/N: Did You Catch It? I was in bed the night after I posted Chapter 14, and all of a sudden I had a realization that made me want to slap myself hard. Why? I made a humongous, gigantic, big-assed mistake. And guess what? Three lovely, lovely reviewers caught it. May I have the honor of introducing: Lamenting Fox, Flame on the Water, and Christa. These uber-smart reviewers caught the fact that Katara left the room without having her chains removed. I completely skipped it over! Apparently, she just strode right out, without being unlocked by Zuko or anything! I slap myself hard now. Let's just all assume that the chains… poofed into the air or… Zuko unlocked them faster than the speed of light, therefore it wasn't worth mentioning. Si? Si.

Note: Lyrics from the top come from the song "Oh Me, Oh My" by Imogen Heap. Wonderful, beautiful singer. She's alternative, and deserves much more attention than she gets. Thought the lyrics fit well with this chapter, especially with the whole prejudices idea. It's symbolic, doncha know?