Disclaimer: 21 days until the new episodes arrive! YAY! And nobody from Nickelodeon has notified me that they're going to be using any of my ideas yet, so I feel pretty confident in saying that I still own nothing.

AN: Thank you all for your reviews and your sympathy. I am happy to say that I'm getting at least five hours of sleep every night now and my teachers are finally backing off in regards to homework. So life is good, and more chapters are on the way. Maybe...around Thursday. Perhaps later if my teachers decide to return to their evil ways. But no later than Saturday.

Chapter 7

Zuko wearily opened his eyes.

"He really doesn't like me, does he?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light. It didn't work. Katara looked shocked at first and then very uncomfortable.

"It doesn't matter," she said. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm awake and tied up. It's an improvement." They sat in silence for a few moments. Finally Zuko spoke.

"He kissed you." His voice was quiet, and carefully drained of emotion. He struggled to sit up, despite the heavy chains that locked his arms to his sides. His wrists and ankles had also been bound, leaving him practically helpless. It was infuriating. Meanwhile, Katara's eyes drifted through the room.

"Yeah. He did," she said at last.

Silence.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"What?"

"I asked if you liked it. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Why did you go with him, Katara? You knew that he's dangerous. What were you doing?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Katara protested, starting to grow angry. "Do you think I expected that?"

"He snuck up on you to watch you bathe. What do you think he was after, your hairbrush?"

"Well, you would know, wouldn't you?" she snapped. "Because a few days ago, you were doing the same thing!"

"They have nothing to do with each other!"

"Don't they? How do you figure, Zuko?"

"That's not even the point! I'm trying to protect you, and I can't do that when you run off flirting with psychopaths like him!" Katara looked as though she had been struck, but she quickly rebounded.

"Like him? And what about you? Who's going to protect me from you?"

"What?" he demanded.

"What about when you get mad? What about when you get that look in your eye? What happens when you lose control, Zuko? Who's going to 'protect me' then?" she paused, staring flagrantly at him. He returned her gaze, searching her eyes. Somewhere in the midst of the conversation, they had started shouting at one another, and the sudden silence was deafening.

"I won't hurt you," Zuko said at last. His voice sounded raw and strangled.

"Won't you?" Katara asked quietly. Zuko didn't reply, but drew back his head, turning his golden stare to the ceiling. But it held no answers for him.

In the silence, Katara's temper simmered and cooled. She stared at Zuko.

He looked weary. Hurt. But not yet defeated. She knew that if she tried to argue with him again, he would fight back. It was the same with Sokka. Right and wrong didn't matter, as long as you didn't admit defeat.

Jet approached, a slight smile on his face. Evidently he had heard them fighting.

I'd be amazed if Aang and Sokka didn't hear, she thought grimly.

"I've got a job for you, Katara," Jet said. His voice was smooth and sweet. He offered her a look of comfort and sympathy as he knelt beside her, untying the knots that held her ankles. He did the same to her wrists and helped her to her feet. She stood, rubbing her swore wrists to restore the flow of blood.

"Come on," Jet said gently.

Katara felt her gaze drift between the two young men. They were so different. Where Jet was cool, calm, and sweet, Zuko was fiery, wild, temperamental. One was scarred and angry, the other whole and proud.

"Katara?"

"Just give me a second," she said quietly, and she knelt in front of Zuko, wrapping him in a hug. Zuko could only look at her, his face revealing his surprise. His chains clinked as he tried in vain to return the embrace.

"You don't have to do this," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry, Zuko." Over her shoulder, Zuko saw Jet's face contorted with a mixture of intrigue and disgust. The rebel put a firm hand on Katara's shoulder, and he pulled her to her feet and away from the Firebender. By the time Katara turned to look at him, Jet's face had recovered its placid expression.

"Tell me you don't still believe that liar," Jet said to Katara as he led her across one of the suspended walkways.

"It doesn't matter what I believe," she said quietly. "He's beaten and chained. You've already won, Jet. The least I can do is show him some mercy."

"He's Fire Nation," Jet said coolly. "He doesn't understand that kind of thing." Katara shrugged.

"Maybe not. But then it's my job to make him understand." Jet studied her for a moment, then rested his hand on her shoulder.

"You're sweet, Katara," he said. "This world needs more people like you." Katara mumbled something, trying to shrug off the compliment. "I mean it," Jet said, turning her head toward him, and gently kissing her.

Katara smiled shyly and diverted her eyes.

She knew she'd made the right choice.

Zuko swore. Everything was wrong. Absolutely, unforgivably wrong! He struggled again against his bonds, hoping vainly to break them, to destroy the treacherous metal and follow Katara and bring her back and...and...

He uttered a loud, wordless cry of frustration. The chains were digging into his lacerated skin, Katara was gone, Jet was keeping both of them as prisoners, and if that monster got his way, he would soon have Katara eating out of the palm of his hand.

It...isn't...FAIR!

He cried out again, a few small flames issuing from his mouth as the bonds bit deeper into an open cut.

He heard a soft click, and the pressure on his chest abated slightly. He shook his shoulders, and the chains that enveloped his arms began to fall away. Further struggling loosed the chains, until at last they fell in a confused heap around him.

Curious, he glanced over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of his bound wrists.

The knot that held them together had been nearly untied. A few minutes of silent maneuvers was all that was necessary to free his hands. Not waiting to regain the feeling in his fingers, he fumbled with the bonds that held his ankles. He staggered to his feet and regained his bearings. In the corner, in a barrel with some other supplies, were his swords.

That was a bad move, Jet, he thought venomously as he fastened them across his smarting shoulders.

"Where are you taking me?" Katara asked quietly.

"A Fire Nation camp," Jet told her. "We'll be there soon."

"Oh."

"I want you to start the attack, Katara. Use your Waterbending to knock as many soldiers down as you can, and keep them from fighting back. Make sure they don't hurt anyone on our team."

"Will anyone else be at the camp? Any innocent people?"

"None," he assured her, his fingers dancing through her hair. "Only soldiers and traitors."

"He's escaped!" one of the rebels shrieked.

"Not for long," another growled, charging at his prisoner. He was the bearlike one. Pipsqueak, Jet had called him. The smaller one was called Smellerbee. Zuko's eyes glittered angrily.

"Get out of my way," he snarled.

"Not a chance!" Smellerbee squeaked. Zuko threw his fist forward, showering his attackers in a barrage of flames, and raced past them. He didn't know if they were following him, or if they fled, or even if they died. And in all sincerity, he didn't care. He paid no mind to the fires that spread to the parched trees, an angry refuse from his attacks as he fought his way past the remaining rebels.

But whether he cared or not, the trees began to burn, and a pillar of smoke rose from the forest, stretching to meet the dawn.

Sokka woke quickly. He had been plagued with awful dreams, and he was more than eager to get out of the forest and away from Jet. He sat up and looked for his sister.

She wasn't there.

Neither was Zuko.

Sokka swore loudly.

"I told them not to go sneaking off together!" he seethed. Aang sat up, startled from sleep by the outburst.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Zuko and Katara..." his voice trailed off as his eyes fell on the ground by Katara's sleeping bag. The ground was oddly disturbed, and her bag had been kicked away to an awkward position. He looked up for any further sign of his sister. There was none, but on one of the branches above their heads, he spotted a set of unnatural incisions. "...Jet," he realized, bolting to his feet with another oath. "Come on, Aang." He grabbed most of their supplies and heaved them onto Appa's back. Within minutes, they were in the air.

Jet went rigid as the acrid scent of smoke drifted through the trees, though his grip didn't tighten on the rope that carried them to the forest's floor. Katara shifted slightly to look over her shoulder.

He's escaped.

Her gaze turned to the ground. They were still several dozen feet in the air. A dizzying distance, in some respects, though she had been higher on Appa's back. She took a deep breath and said a quick prayer.

Two dozen feet. Close enough.

Her hand shot up and she grabbed the rope that was looped around Jet's wrist, pulling the loop over his hand.

And then she kneed him in the stomach. The rebel's grip on the rope loosed for an instant, and she jerked it free from his grip. He plunged down, but his arm was still wrapped around her, holding him aloft. His breath was heavy, though his eyes flashed with confusion and anger.

Another deep breath.

And she released the rope.

Zuko grabbed one of the rebels as he fled. The fire was spreading furiously, and flames danced all around him.

The boy trembled. Surely this was no normal Firebender. Jet had captured a demon! For what else could the golden eyed creature be? What else could break through those chains? And now it was angry and out for revenge. What had Jet done? Why?

"Where is he? Where is Jet?" Zuko hissed, bringing his face an inch away from the boy's. His captive squeaked pitifully.

"A-at the Fire Nation camp," the boy spluttered, pointing desperately. "That way."

"Is Katara with him?" Zuko demanded. The boy looked up at him in confusion. "The girl. Is she with him?"

The rebel nodded, and Zuko tossed him aside.

"Get out of here," he said, racing away.