I don't own Avatar, the poem in Zuko's sketch book, Bryan Adam's song 'Please Forgive Me,' or'The Rose.'

...When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long

And you think, that love is only, for the lucky and the strong

Just remember, in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows

Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring

Becomes the rose...

Chapter 23: The Rescue

Zuko lay on the cold floor of his cell. His eyes fluttered softly, but he wasn't asleep. He couldn't, not with the thoughts and feelings running through his mind

When he realized what she planned, he pulled away desperately. It was hard to stay away from her, but he tried, twisting across the floor and rolling, forcing her to chase him. She finally pinned him down, her hands on his shoulders and one knee on each side of his waist. Anger filled his mind as resignation filled his heart.

"No Kinita."

She growled fiercely.

"Yes."

Keeping one hand firmly on his chest, she began to undress them both. He couldn't move and as soon as his mind realized that he couldn't stop her, he withdrew. Using a technique perfected by meditating, he drew his soul, heart, and mind up out of his body and confined his consciousness to a kernel in his center. Even trapped there he felt his body betray him. He forced himself to focus on anything other than what was happening. First Katara came to mind, then his friends, Ediera, and even his mother. He pulled more away from reality and sank into the past. Then it was over.

He allowed himself to return to his body and as soon as he did, the most horrible feeling of filth, like he'd never be clean again, consumed him. He opened his eyes and Kinita had a sick smile on her face.

"I hate you."

Hurt filled her eyes but he didn't care.

"No, you don't Zuko. I know you enjoyed it just as much as I did."

"My body betrayed me, but my heart is true. I would rather spend a thousand eternities in the deepest pits of hell than spend one lifetime with you."

She hissed and pulled away from him. He sat up and glared at her, and he knew in that instant that she wouldn't give up.

"We shall see."

From the moment she stepped out, she began working on creating a living hell.

It began with half-inch switches, and then he graduated to spiked rods. He lay awake that night, going over the day's events, trying to ignore the pain radiating through his being, ever masked by the feeling of filth.

He knew it wasn't over, and he knew he could stand it. He just prayed that Katara, Sokka, and Aang wouldn't come for him, and he prayed that the beatings would eventually kill him. He would not be Kinita's plaything again. And he prayed that morning would never come.
Katara woke to the sound of Hessair's pacing. Billows of smoke blew from the dragon's nostrils, and she could feel his anger radiating around her. Her own anger had consumed her. The night was young. She stood, shucking off her clothes. She glanced at Sokka and Aang briefly to make sure they were both asleep before she completely stripped. She then pawed through Zuko's things until she found a pair of black pants and a black shirt. The pants fit reasonably well, and the shirt was baggy, but that was fine.

Hessair watched her as she strapped on Zuko's swords. She had found a blue mask in his bag, along with the sketch book Sokka had given him. Pausing for a moment, she opened the book. Immediately she was entranced. The first page was a sketch of Aang and Momo, and it had their names written at the bottom of the page. Next was Sokka, and he was stuffing his face. Then there were a few notes, almost like journaling, and then one particular paragraph caught her eye.

Katara and I have settled our feud. I'm really glad. Sokka was entranced by my dragon story. I wonder how he'd react to a real one. Probably run screaming. But Katara wouldn't. She'd fight. She's strong like that, and brave. She gets so frustrated with her water-bending sometimes. She's so beautiful…I think I'm falling in love with her…

Katara quickly turned the page, not wanting to probe too much into Zuko's personal thoughts. But the next page was worse in her opinion.

When you look deeply in my eyes what do you hope to see?

Do you think I'll ever show the real person I call me?

They say the eyes are windows into a person's soul

To have a look inside of there, is that your only goal?

I don't want to let you in there, I'm afraid of what you'll find

A twisted, frightened little boy that lives inside my mind.

He's always in there waiting for someone to let him out

Sometimes he gets so lonely you can almost hear him shout.

He'll share with you his secrets, wishes, hopes and dreams

If you listen very closely you can almost hear his screams.

It will take a special person to look deep and set him free

The sad and lonely little boy that happens to be me.

She closed her eyes against the tears, feeling her heart break. The one called Kinita could never see Zuko as she did. She closed the book and looked at Hessair.

"I'll do the killing, you do the rescuing."

(Are you calling a truce between us?)

"Look. I love Zuko, and I know you do. I forgive you for kidnapping me."

(I forgive you for calling me a dumb animal. Let's go.)

She tied Zuko's mask onto her face and nodded, leaping up onto Hessair's back, who then leapt into the air with one sweep of his wings.

Zuko's alert to the morning was Zhao coming in, the door closing behind him with a hiss. Zuko blinked a couple times, stared at Zhao's shoes, and then laid his head back down. He was lying on his stomach, and it wasn't worth the effort of moving. Zhao dragged him roughly to his feet and turned his head with a forceful hand so they were staring into each other's eyes.

"Today, I have decided to intensify your training. I'm sure you won't like it, but neither will your new mistress."

Two guards came in and picked him up, the chains on his hands were lengthened, and they took him outside. Zhao grinned at him.

"Come along little concubine."

Zuko hissed, but had no choice to follow.

Katara understood now why Zuko loved flying with Hessair. It was heavenly, so much different than flying on Appa. Flying with Hessair was more…intimate, but that didn't stray her from her goal. She'd barely glimpsed Kinita at the banquet, but she held the picture in her mind.

Hessair growled deeply and the low rumble echoed through his body and into Katara's. The fortress appeared below them.

Zuko was led into the arena. Two poles were placed in the center, and he was chained to them, one arm to each. Forced to his knees, his arms were pulled out to nearly their full length, so he was nearly hanging from them. The sun was warm on his bare chest, and he resigned himself. He knew what was coming.

Zhao came and stood in front of him.

"The same rules still apply Zuko. Accept your new mistress, and it will all end."

Kinita was standing next to Zhao, and Zuko spit at their feet. Kinita whimpered but then went and stood with the soldiers who had gathered around to watch. A nearby soldier handed Zhao a long leather whip, and Zhao started to take his place behind Zuko, but Zuko decided to have a little fun.

"Hey Zhao, why don't you tell them about the time you tried to discourage me from capturing the Avatar?"

"What are you talking about boy?"

"You know, when you and I got into an Agni Kai."

There was dead silence around the arena, and it was clear that Zhao had failed to mention this to very many people.

"Oh you didn't tell them? Pity, but I can see your point. How much would your men respect you if they knew you LOST?"

"SHUT UP!"

"And what about the time I took the Avatar right from under your nose? Yep, I'm the Blue Spirit! Once again I best you!"

Zhao snarled and took his place behind Zuko.

"And I still caught the Avatar before you, even after you got promoted and had all those resources! I still got him first!"

CRACK!

The whip lashed into Zuko's bare back, and Zuko gritted his teeth.

"And what about…"

Zuko couldn't finish as the whip was laid into him again and again. Come on Zhao! You know you want to! Scourge me to death!

He lost count of how many times that damned whip snaked across his back, but with every time Zhao restarted at his shoulder, the pain tripled. Grinding his teeth, he tried not to think about what his back looked like now. A bloody pulp no doubt. There was a momentary pause in the lashes, and Zuko closed his eyes and hung his head, breathing deeply. Then it began again. Dark shadows danced around the edge of his consciousness and he saw red. Little did he know that was his own blood pooling around his knees.

Katara and Hessair saw the arena and what was going on, and their anger flared simultaneously. Hessair closed his wings and dove, Katara pressed firmly against his neck. Opening his wings at the right moment, he slowed his descent and Katara dropped from his neck. She landed lightly on her feet and raised an arm. The whip wrapped itself around her upraised forearm and she jerked it from Zhao's grasp as Hessair landed. The dragon's roar shook the stands. She drew a sword and spun, slicing cleanly through Zuko's chains.

Hessair spit a fireball at nearby soldiers. Katara gathered her fallen prince into her arms and dragged him to Hessair. Zula was shouting at the soldiers and Kinita was racing towards the two. Katara got Zuko draped across Hessair's back when Kinita pulled her away from the dragon.

"You will not take my prince from me!"

Katara spun, tearing her arm from the girl's grasp. Kinita reached for a dagger.

"He is mine, and I will protect him! You will not take him from me!"

Katara hissed.

"The only one he needs protecting from is you!"

Kinita lunged, but Katara brought her foot up and kicked the girl hard in the stomach. Turning, she ran and leapt up behind Zuko.

"I'll be back for you Kinita!" The dragon then turned and flew from the fortress, obvious to the spears hurled its way.

Kinita ran after the beast, never slowing. She would not let Zuko escape her once more. He belonged to her. Finally, she stopped in a clearing a good ways away from the fortress. She regained her breath and strength and started to continue after Zuko, but she didn't need to. The girl in the blue mask was there.

"You are the one who touched him."

Kinita drew her sword.

"I took him and made him my own. I love him and he belongs to me." The girl reached up and took off her mask, which she tossed on the ground. She then drew the Dao from the shoulder harness, and separated one into two.

"You raped him, and then tortured him. That is not love."

Kinita took a fighting stance, and Katara followed suit. The fight ensued.

Katara had been able to hold her own against Zuko the last time they'd trained. She figured then that she was up to Fire Nation standards. But she was wrong. Kinita was up to standards, she was better.

It didn't take Kinita long to figure out who was better, but she wouldn't give up. Anger had replaced reason in Katara's heart, and now she was playing with Kinita, like a cat with a mouse.

It was a fight between two women for one man. They both loved him, but there was one huge difference. Katara was willing to let him go, Kinita wasn't.

Kinita spun, kicking one sword from Katara's hand. The sword flew straight up into the air. Things seemed to slow down suddenly. Katara brought her free fist into Kinita's stomach sharply, and then jabbed her again on her jaw. She then caught the falling sword, blade out, and brought it sharply across her throat. Kinita gasped before falling to her knees. Her steaming blood sprayed across Katara's face, chest, and neck.

Leaning down, she grabbed the dying girl's collar and dragged her to a nearby tree. Katara picked her up and held her with one arm about a foot off the ground. Taking Kinita's fallen sword in one hand, she plunged it through the girl's chest, pinning her to the tree. Kinita shuddered once, her eyes disbelieving before she went limp against the tree. Her shocked eyes still showed life, and Katara knew it would be several minutes before she died. She should go ahead and kill her, to end her suffering. This thought passed through Katara's head, and then she turned, sheathed her swords, and walked away.

Katara returned to Zuko, who was lying face down on the dirt. He shifted slightly as she came up. Pain-filled eyes met hers, and she smiled sweetly and knelt beside him. Hessair heated the water in the stream by Zuko's head, and Katara bended the water over his wounds. Instead of hurting Zuko however, it felt strangely soothing.

After she was done cleaning his wounds, Katara lay down beside him, placing a hand on his upper arm. His eyes fluttered sleepily, and in moments they were both asleep. Hessair lay down and covered them both with a wing.

Katara woke up alone, and for a moment, she was scared that they'd been recaptured. But Hessair was there, blowing soft sweet-smelling breath in her face. He nodded to a pool further downstream, hidden by trees.

(He's bathing. And he has been for about thirty minutes.)

She got up and headed off to where Hessair had pointed. Finding Zuko wasn't hard, looking at him was. He'd scrubbed his skin to the point of bleeding in several spots, and was still scouring away.

"Zuko stop!" It took a great deal of effort, but he put down the cloth. She took his head in her hands.

"What are you doing, my heart?"

"I can't get clean."

"You look clean to me."

"No." He hung his head. "What she did…I can't…I feel so dirty."

"Oh Zuko." She pulled him to her and held him close. He shook, all he'd dreamed about during his stay at the fortress was her touch. He wanted her to love him so much, but how could she?

"Katara, how can you still want me? I'm no longer pure, I'm no longer worthy of you."

She hugged him tightly, but not tightly enough to aggravate his wounds.

"Zuko, I could never stop needing you, and I will never stop loving you." She placed a hand on his chest. "I love your heart, what inside."

"And my heart belongs to you and only you."

She nodded and kissed him. Suddenly he knew that the fairy tale of true love was real. It was instantaneous this realization. Katara knew everything about him, bad and good, and she loved him anyway.

"I love you Zuko." There was no promise behind it, no vow of eternity to be broken, and no false dream of forever. It was a statement, it was pure, and most of all, it was true.

She was surprised when he began to sing softly in her ear.

Please forgive me I know not what I do

Don't deny me this pain I'm going through

Please forgive me if I need you like I do

Please believe me every word I say is true

Please forgive me – I can't stop loving you

He moaned her name, and she kissed him, passionately, her tongue exploring his. I love you Zuko, and I'll never let anything happen to you ever again.

Another attempt at randomness...back by popular demand...

Scene: Zuko's whipping...

(Zuko is about to get it for the first time)

Zuko: "And do you like wearing a toga/dress? How often do you invite your soldiers to your bedroom at night?"

CRACK!

Zuko: OW! SHIT! ZHAO YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO ACTUALLY FUCKING HIT ME! DAMN!

Zhao: You insulted my masculinity.

Director: Cut! Somebody get Zuko a doctor...again.

Zhao: Where does it say that I don't actually hit you?

Zuko: READ THE FUCKING SCRIPT YOU COCKSMOKER ASSCLOWN SON OF A DICKMUNCH! I'M GOING TO BE SCARRED FOR LIFE! AGAIN!

Director: Zuko, ummm...PG-13?

Zuko: That's it. I quit. I'm tired of these "accidents!" This morning someone put Ginseng in my rum! You KNOW I'm allergic!

(Sokka walks by whistling innocently)