I'm glad I got some more review I guess...Thanks to all the reviewers. Well, in this chappie...I'm gonna develop more into the whole Zutara relationship...I don't want to go way OOC...so it will be subtle flirting..and loads of fighting after all...that's what opposites do...FIGHT. I don't really know if I should really make Haru into this whole love triangle thingy...cuz Jet is already sort of part of it.. like ZukoxKataraxJet...it would be like every single male competing for the affection of Katara...but for now, Haru and Katara will only remain aquaintences...as will Zuko and Katara...

Chapter 3: Interrogation

"I-I saw you yesterday! Z-Zuko!" Katara gasped out as Zuko sneered. All he did was go back to his penthouse after a hard day of work yesterday and what did he get? He got ambushed inside his own house by some wacked out officer who immediately put him into custody for "suspected murder of General Aang Jayle." When he got out, that boy was going to get it.

"Why am I not surprised that you're part of this," Zuko growled, "tell me, did you find any useful information from me yesterday? After all, that was your purpose wasn't it. Get information from the Zuko Carson before arresting him. You were playing all along, and I really thought you were some poor desperate girl."

"Uh...do you two know each other?" Haru questioned Katara, obviously not getting anythng the two were saying.

"That isn't true! I had no idea you were Zuko Carson! If I did, do you think I would have even associated myself with -with scum like you!"

"Scum? Well, if I remember correctly, this scum saved your life last night," Zuko smirked, he had her now.

"Will somebody please explain what is going on?" Haru asked again, annoyed.

"We met once," Katara growled out, "and he-he intefered when I had everything under control in a fight between me and some gang members."

Zuko let out a bitter and disbelieving chuckle, "Interfered? Listen closely, you little brat, if I hadn't interfered, you wouldn't be here right now. You would be in some dark alley, completely stripped of your clothing, dead, hidden beside some dumpster. That's where you would be. And you know what? You didn't even thank me for saving you life."

"Throw this man in jail," Katara said calmly, though you could see the anger in her eyes.

"But Katara!" Haru stammered out, surprised by her sudden fierceness, "you said he was innocent until proven guilty!"

"I- fine," Katara replied, though she was unsatisfied, "Then let him stay in here. Schedule an interrogation at noon. I'm gonna make sure this bastard admits that he killed Aang."

"Whatever you say, Katara" Haru said, quickly leaving the room to schedule the interrogation. Katara didn't seem like she was in the mood for a chat, and he didn't want to provoke her anymore.

There was a few minutes of akward silence as Zuko got bored and turned around, leaning back into his chair. He had better things to do then being stuck in this stupid room with some stupid girl.

"Did you kill him?"

There was no response from Zuko.

"I asked you if you killed him!"

"Who?" Zuko replied casually

"GENERAL AANG JAYLE! YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHO! NOW ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

"It doesn't whether I killed him or not, you would never believe me anyways."

"So is that a no?"

"I never said that."

"You were implying it."

"Or maybe you were just drawing conclusions,"

"Why do you have to give me lip on everything I say!"

"Because you keep asking questions that I don't want to answer,"

"Just answer it. Did you kill him or did you not?"

"I thought you said the interrogation was at noon. Just to let you know, by the looks of that clock on the wall, it's only nine o' clock right now. You certaintly can't make up your min-"

"Please..." Zuko stopped. He turned around to look at the girl. She seemed desperate almost, begging, "Please, just answer the question."

"Why?" Zuko asked, his voice still cold and unfeeling.

"I-I need to know. He-he was my best friend!"

Oh no, Zuko thought, Not again. Katara was starting to look like the state she was in when he had first met her the day before. She was turning hysterical...again. God, this girl had to go see a shrink. "No."

"No?"

"No, I didn't kill you friend. Happy?"

"Really?"

Zuko completely turned around now and gazed into her eyes. "Really."

Katara stumbled back as her back hit the door. She suddenly felt trapped...trapped under his gaze. This was all too much. Deep down inside of her, she had been hoping that Zuko would say 'yes, I did kill the General'. Then, the truth could have been let out, and he would be guilty, and he would die. Then, the whole thing would be over. But he had said no, and that her ruined her perfect fantasy. It wasn't over, and even deeper inside of her, she knew, she knew that Zuko was speaking the truth. But no, she refused to believe it. He was a criminal, a liar, a deciever, a manipulator. He was playing her, and he was guilty. She knew it. He was guilty. He had to be. She stared into his cold eyes, as she tried to detect some flicker of guilt, of rage, of anything! But there was nothing, just an empty yet strong gaze. She had to escape this room. It was suffocating her. Her hand searched desperately for the handle on the door as she continued staring into his eyes. They didn't say anthing to each other, but yet, she had to leave quickly. Finally, her hand graaped the smooth cold metal of the doorknob.

"Be prepared. Your interrogation is at noon," Katara gasped out as she threw open the door and stepped outside for a breath of freash air. "Phew..." she sighed out.

"What was that all about?" Katara graoned mentally has she head Hary ask her from behind. He was holding two cups of coffee in his hands. "I'm guessing you're not really a morning person." He joked lightly.

"No," Katara replied as she gladly took the coffee from Haru, "Thanks."

"Hey, it's the least I can do."

"Hey, Haru?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you really think he's guilty?"

"Who?"

Katara sighed again. Why were men all the same? First Zuko, and now Haru.

"You know who, Zuko!"

"Oh," Haru's face darkened and Katara knew the cheerful mood had no vanished. He responded seriously, "The guy's the leader of The Flames, Katara, What do you think?"

"I know, but he's innocent until proven gui-"

"I know Katara! But doesn't it make perfect sense? Zuko Carson's father was Jacob Ozai. Because of the General, Ozai was captured and killed. Don't you think Carson would want revenge? It's the perfect motive!"

"But there's no evidence..."

"Don't worry Katara, the media won't hear of this until we have proof. I-I promise," Haru assured her, "Now go along. I'm sure you'll need your rest for the interrogation at noon. It doesn't seem like he'll cooperate with us much."

"Yeah...okay," Katara mumbled as she started to walk away...

Zuko stared at the door the girl had just slammed in his face. He knew he had gotten to her, but he didn't exactly know what he did that made her so afraid. Was he really that frightening? It didn't matter, though. He didn't care. She was just another dirtbag, lowlife police officer that was going to be accusing him of murder. Wow. He laughed at his comment. He had just called her dirtbag and lowlife. Isn't that what they were calling him?

Zuko knew he would get away. They had no evidence. There was absolutely none. Why? Because he hadn't commited the murder. Simple as that. They couldn't charge him for something he didn't do...or could they? He didn't know how the mind's of those deranged officers worked.

It's not like this was the first time he was accused. Oh no, he had been accused many times before for murder, dealing drugs, carrying illegal weapons, etc. But he always, always, got away. Sure, everyone knew he was the leader of The Flames, but he was also an important figure in society. He owned a chain of casinos all around the world, inherited from his deceased father. It made him filthy rich. He had connections to people in high places, and whenever he was in a mess, he was sure to get out of it.

Oh no, Zuko wasn't scared, he wasn't scared at all. If he could have gotten away with charges he had actually commited, there was no reason he couldn't get out of something he hadn't done at all. All he had to do was play along...

"Do you want me to go in there with you?" Haru asked again for the millionth time.

"No, I think he'll cooperate more if it was only me," Katara replied as the two made there way down to the interrogation room. It was five till twelve, and that meant, it was time.

"Well good luck," Haru said, "I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Sure," Katara said as she slowly opened the door into the interrogation room. As she expected, Zuko was sitting there, arms cuffed together. He was staring at the wall and when she came in, he didn't even bother to look up. Katara sighed, this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.

"Hey," she began...

"Just ask what you want me to answer," Zuko responded, once again, with that cold unfeeling, uncaring, voice of his.

Katara sat down across from him. She had a notebook, a pen, and a recording device in her hand.

"Okay, first question Mr.Carson," Katara asked, "Where were you the night of General Jayle's murder?"

"Are we going profressional now?" was Zuko's response, "Then let me address you Miss...miss..."

"Lee! Just answer the question." Katara snapped. He was playing her...again, dragging out their conversation until they went off topic. She couldn't let him do that.

"I was in Las Vegas, making sure everything was alright with my casinos there," Zuko said. Man, was this boring.

"If that's so, how did I see you yesterday at the club?"

"I flew back on Christmas morning," Zuko replied with a sly smile, "You can believe that can't you? I wanted to spend the holidays with my oh so loving family." He added the last part sarcastically, but the rest was true.

"Hmm...I'll put that down," Katara replied. "Next question...what was your motive in killing the General?"

"I told you, I didn't kill him," Zuko's voice remained the same. He didn't seem aggravated, or panicked at all. Katara wondered mentally how he could could keep his emotions under control so well.

"Do you have any proof that you didn't?"

"Do you have any proof that I did?" His voice...no emotion.

Katara's plan was failing, she wanted him to snap back, wanted him to screw up, wanted him to give away some sort of hint or evidence. But there was nothing, he only replied back to what he needed to, and his voice stayed the same...unchanging...how-how annoying.

"Was it beacuse he killed your father?"

Zuko suddenly stood up, anger showed in his eyes for the first time. Katara was literally surprised. "Keep my father out of this," Zuko growled.

Katara knew she had hit a sensitive spot, and she knew she was venturing on dangerous grounds, "Why? Did you have anything against the General beacuse of your-your father's death?"

Zuko looked like he was about to start yelling again, but he sat back down and all emotions dissapeared from his face and his voice returned to it's normal tone, "I hated the General, I despised him, but that doesn't mean I wanted him dead. Do you think I value life, Katara? Answer my question. Do you think I care about other human beings? Or do you think I'm a killer with no heart, somebody who has no feelings at all? Tell me, Katara, what do you think?"

She was trapped...for the second time that day...what did she think of him? Sure, she hated him, but had he given her a reason to hate him? No, there was no reason, but Katara knew she had to hate him. It was her job to hate people like him. "I...I don't know. You gave me no reason to hate, but I know that you have murdered, you have commited crimes, you have done the unforgivible. Just because you don't get charged with something doesn't mean you didn't do it."

"What a smart girl you are," Zuko replied sarcastically, "We all know the truth Katara, yes, we all know that I have gotten away with things that I have truly commited. But what if I didn't commit the crime? Then would it be fair if I got away with it?"

"Are you saying you didn't kill the general?"

"I've been saying that ever since I was stuck in this damn room."

"I...I don't...I can't believe you." Katara stuttered out. "You know what you did, and you can't hide it from yourself or anybody else."

Zuko looked up at her and they stared at each other for a full minute. This time, Katara didn't seem to be scared at all, she seemed upset, yes, and angry, but she also looked determined. She wasn't backing down. Zuko sighed, when could he get into this girl's thick head that he didn't kill the general? "I don't have to hide anything if there's nothing to hide."

"Yo-"

"Time's up, Katara...there's another interrogation scheduled in a minute." Haru's voice suddenly cut through the tenseness in the air. He could feel he had inturrupted something, but he and Katara had to go. He motioned for the other officers to take Zuko back to his quarters, and led Katara out of the room, "How did it go?" he asked her gently.

"Not so good," was Katara's reply. She had only asked him two questions. She seriously needed to go home and think thing's over. Zuko Carson was such a confusing man.

Ta-da! I'm done with this chappie...wow...

So? What did you thinK? I think I'm making Katara maybe a bit too sensitive..or maybe not...give me your opinions!

Also don't forget about telling me whether or not I should make Haru part of this love traingle/rectangle thing.

How'd you like the Zutaraness? It was more tension and fighting...than flirting..but hey...that's how feelings begin to develop.

We all know that Zuko really didn't kill the general..but then, who did? And are the characters in the story going to believe him?

R&R and I'll post another chapter for the reader's enjoyment ASAP...but you gotta review! Thx