A/N: Hey everyone. I know what you're probably thinking: What the insert curse word here took her so long! Well, I'm not getting into the details here, but I've been extremely stressed out over the last few months. I've had some very serious family issues going on and with the added stress of school… Well, updating the fanfic wasn't number one on my priority list. But, I really am so so sorry. Just, please, don't ask me why it too so long in your reviews, okay?

Disclaimer: The usual. I don't own Avatar. Would you like fries with that?

Chapter Eleven: Life On The Line

"Katara!" the Fire Prince shouted as Katara fell to the ground. He was instantly at her side. Kyo also jumped up to help her. Zuko looked back at the trees with hatred on his face. He saw only a flash of movement as the archer leapt down from the tree. He had missed his target and made them all aware of his presence. It was time to get out of there.

"After him!" Zuko shouted to the unwounded soldiers. They bowed quickly and set off to capture the assassin.

Zuko lifted Katara up and propped her on his knee gently. Kyo made a move to remove the arrow.

"No!" shouted Zuko, "The arrow is stopping most of the bleeding for now. We have nothing here that would bandage the wound adequately. If you remove the arrow, she will bleed to death!"

Kyo tuned a little pale and quickly nodded. Zuko's mind we reeling. What to do? She had been shot in her stomach. That was bad. Stomach wounds were nearly always fatal. Inside him, Zuko could feel a rage building. It was an unadulterated hatred that wouldn't go away until he personally murdered the person who shot Katara.

Katara opened her eyes slightly and groaned. "Katara!" said Zuko urgently, "Are you okay?"

Katara clenched her teeth and smiled grimly. "My first real fight and I got myself shot… But I saved you, right Zuko? You're okay..?" she rasped. The wound was already making it hard for her to breathe.

Zuko's heart was pounding fiercely. She had gotten herself shot to save him… "Katara, what are you talking about? I'm fine! You're the one who's…who's…" he couldn't even finish. He was in a daze. This can't be happening… Katara can't be shot… She can't die… SHE CANT DIE!

"Sir," said Kyo urgently, "We need to get her to the ship. NOW." Kyo didn't care if he was ordering Prince Zuko around. Katara's life was on the line.

Zuko was instantly snapped out of his daze. "Right." He scooped Katara into his arms and made his way back to the ship as fast as his legs would will him.

000

"Her shirt's been torn. We need to get the piece out of her wound before it festers!" the ship's physician shouted at the men in the room. The emergency room was a flurry of activity. The doctor had made Prince Zuko leave because he was "interfering". Zuko was forced to wait outside, must to his displeasure. He paced the hallway outside the room nervously. They will pay… When I find the man who did this to her, he'll be sorry he was ever born… Fire swirled around his fists and he felt if he kept his rage inside him a moment longer, we would burst.

Most of his anger stemmed from fear. Fear that Katara would die. The realization hit Zuko like a punch in the gut. He didn't want Katara to die. He would give anything to save her.

Why?

Because we need her to get the Avatar.

That's not all…

Yes it is.

You'll miss her.

"Sir?" Zuko was torn from his thoughts by the voice of a guard. The prince looked up expectantly. "We found him."

Zuko instantly straightened up and his face turned to a mask of cold stone. "Take me to him," he replied, in the coldest voice he had ever used.

000

Prince Zuko was brought before a man who had his hands bound behind his back and was on his knees. In the gloom of the prison cell, Zuko could barely make out his features. He looked young. Maybe in his mid twenties. He looked up at Zuko with pure hatred and disgust in his eyes.

Zuko regarded him coldly for a moment. His amber eyes bore into the man's and the earth bender was forced to look away. Zuko seized his chin and turned his head to face him. "Do you know what you did?" he hissed at him. "I am going to make you sorry you were ever born…"

"I didn't mean to hit the girl!" he shouted suddenly. He glared fiercely at Zuko. "You were my intended target! It's not my fault she pushed you out of the way! I had no intention of shooting her!"

Disgusted, Zuko thrust him away. Why did he have to be constantly reminded that Katara could die because she saved him? Why did she do that…?

"Well, you did shoot her. And you will pay for that." He hissed. Glowing flames began swirling fiercely around his fists. Zuko's face formed a menacing snarl. He could now see the pure fear in the man's face. All of the defiance was instantly stripped away.

"Please…." He choked.

Gazing down at the pleading man, Zuko was struck by the irony of the situation. The terrible irony. There he was, fists flaming, staring down at this boy, who was pleading for mercy. He knew what it felt like to have the roles reversed. Can you really do it…?

Zuko shook the voice away. Katara could die because of him! He couldn't let him go! Zuko felt his rage building again. He pulled his fist back, ready to deal the final blow. Then, Katara's words filled his head…

"Zuko! Get away from him! What is wrong with you?"

"Whatever he did, you didn't have to be so violent! That was totally uncalled for!"

"You didn't have to beat him up so badly! If I hadn't come along, who knows what could have happened?"

Suddenly, Zuko stopped and gritted his teeth. No… he thought as he tried to force her voice away. This is different…

"Zuko, have you ever… killed anyone?"

This isn't the same… He deserves to die for what he did to Katara… thought Zuko, his mind in turmoil. The man looked up at Zuko in confusion. He was bracing himself for the worst. He didn't understand what the prince was doing. Prince Zuko looked like he wanted to kill the man so badly… yet couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I'll be honest. I don't like how violent you can be sometimes. In fact, I hate it. But I would never think less of you for what happened two year ago. Never."

Katara would want him to do this, wouldn't she? If she died, she needed to be avenged. It was the right thing to do. That was obvious. Right?

Zuko gritted his teeth. He knew it was the right thing to do. But… he also knew Katara wouldn't want him to kill the man. It was ludicrious to Zuko. But, somehow he just knew she wouldn't want this. As much as it pained him, he knew. And he hated her for it. She had brought out his conscience. And his newfound conscience wouldn't let him kill this man, no matter how much he wanted to. And all because he knew Katara wouldn't want him to become a murderer on his behalf.

"Argh!" Zuko screamed as he threw his head back in frustration. He glared down at the man, his eye piercing into him like daggers.

In one swift motion, Zuko delivered him an extremely hard kick in the stomach. The man doubled over, clutching himself, the wind knocked out of him. He looked up at the prince, tears forming in his eyes.

This was it. What he had been preparing himself for the last few minutes. This was the end….

But, as he lay there with his eye shut tightly, anticipating the next blow, the man was surprised. There was no other blow. He cautiously opened one eye to see Prince Zuko standing over him, breathing heavily, looking murderous. Like he wanted nothing more than to kill him slowly and painfully…

But he didn't kill him.

"Go," he snarled, "Get out of here. If I ever see you again, I promise I won't hesitate to kill you." When he saw the unbelieving look in the man's eyes, he spat, "I'm not doing this for you! I want nothing more than to see you dead! But..." Zuko took a moment to compose himself, "Katara couldn't live with herself if she thought I killed you because of her."

The soldiers threw incredulous looks at one another. They couldn't believe Zuko was just going to let him like that! And after the man tried to kill him! But, that wasn't even the reason Zuko wanted to kill him so badly... It was because of Katara… The soldiers couldn't understand why he was becoming so crazy. No one there wanted Katara dead. They had all grown to like having her around (and Zuko was usually less violent when she was there), but they couldn't believe the prince was acting this way. Why was he so angry over a water bending peasant…?

The man laid on the ground, gasping for breath. He want sure if this was just a cruel joke or not. Should he run? Zuko narrowed his eyes, "GO. Before I change my mind." That was all the motivation the man needed. He scrambled to his feet and took off running away from them. Once, he glanced back, wondering what exactly had happened to that girl…

000

"You need to leave. Now. She needs her rest!" someone hissed.

"I'm not leaving until I know she will be okay. She is one of my finest warriors and I don't need her dead!"

"She should be okay, AS LONG AS SHES NOT DISTURBED."

"Hmmm…?" Katara murmured. She slowly opened her eyes and squinted at the bright light. She felt a burning and throbbing pain in her abdomen. There was a buzzing in her head and she felt extremely weak. Déjà vu… she though wearily. Where were those voices coming from…?

"Prince Zuko…?" she called out weakly.

The doctor and the prince whirled around to face Katara, where she lied of a bed, bandaged and weak in the infirmary. There were thick pillar candles lighting up the room. It wasn't actually very bright, but to Katara it was blinding.

The doctor threw his hands up in anger. "Great! Now she is awake! What don't you understand about her need for rest?" The doctor and Iroh were the only ones who could ever speak to Zuko that way and escape with their lives. But, the prince wasn't even listening to him. He rushed to Katara's side.

"Katara! You're awake! How are you feeling?" he asked

Katara tried to laugh dryly, but it turned into a cough. As she coughed, waves of pain rippled over her abdomen. She groaned and clenched her teeth.

"I've been better..." she managed to reply.

The doctor hurried over and stood between Zuko and Katara. "See? She's going to be okay. Let her get her rest now."

Prince Zuko glared at him and reluctantly, the doctor left the room.

"What is the matter, Prince Zuko? You look like you've seen a ghost." Katara croaked with some difficulty.

The prince clenched his teeth. He had been so caught up in worrying about Katara he hadn't really thought about what everyone would think of his actions. He wouldn't normally be this upset about a wounded soldier. He would want revenge for any of his crewmen, but this was out of character... He supposed he could always use the excuse that she was such a good fighter.

That may take care of the crew, but how was he supposed to tell Katara how crazy he had been?

"I, uh, we were worried you wouldn't make it," said Prince Zuko, trying to sound as professional as possible.

Katara gave a short snort. "I'm not that easy to kill."

"But you almost did die, Katara! You were lucky. Very lucky."

Katara made a face and rolled her eyes. Zuko started to get angry. "What did you do that for anyway? You nearly got yourself killed! What would make you do something so stupid?" he demanded.

Katara gaped at him for his sudden outburst, and then looked hurt. "Yes, I did nearly get myself killed. SAVING YOU. This is how you thank me? By telling me it was stupid? So much for gratitude!" She turned over in a huff and sent jolts of intense pain shooting down her side. She gritted her teeth as tears filled her sapphire blue eyes. She struggled to keep them from falling and letting her pain show to the prince.

Prince Zuko stood over Katara's bed, glaring fiercely at her. Was that really what she thought? That he was ungrateful? He gazed down at her whimpering body, seeing the obvious pain she was in. He clenched his fists and marched around to the other side of the bed, to face Katara.

He was slightly taken aback at the sight of her. She was biting her lip in an obvious effort to hold back the tears that now streaked her flushed cheeks. In the candle light, her tears glistened and Prince Zuko thought how amazing it was that she could manage to look so utterly helpless and still willful and defiant at the same time.

What's wrong with him? Thought Katara, Why is he staring at me like that? He probably thinks I'm weak now… she added with bitterness.

But then, Zuko knelt down and grabbed Katara's wrists and pulled her face close to his. She was so surprised by the sudden movement that she didn't have time to react.

Zuko saw uncertainty and a bit of fear flash across the water bender's face. Why does this feel so familiar…? Wondered Katara.

"Is that really what you think?" Zuko demanded, gazing intently into her uncertain eyes. "That I'm ungrateful?"

Katara was starting to feel weary. It was an effort just to talk…

"Well, that's the way you made it sound..." she whispered.

The fire bender's grasp on her wrists tightened a bit. But, this time when he spoke, he voice was much more sincere…

"Don't ever think that Katara! You saved my life. Of course I'm grateful. More than grateful. You've put me in a debt I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay. I owe you my life. It was just… reckless on your part." His expression changed to an almost pleading one. Katara silently wondered if this was all a dream. "Why did you do it?"

Frowning slightly, the water bender turned away. "You're my prince. Of course I risked my own life to save you. Would anything less be expected of me?" she asked quietly.

Prince Zuko was slightly taken aback. Though he head was turned away from him, he could see her troubled sapphire eyes. He knew that she was speaking the truth. Just from her expression he knew she really thought she was expected to put her life on the line for him…

And she would have been if she was a regular crew member. He could easily see Katara's logic. He was the prince. She was his crew. It was her duty to protect him.

Zuko gently let go of Katara's wrist and stood up. Katara slowly turned to her head to face him. Why is he looking at me like that? She wondered. It was the strangest expression she had ever seen on him. A mixture of regret and anger. But also of gratitude and fear.

Zuko's emotions were almost boiling over. He couldn't take it anymore. And Katara's confused expression only made him madder.

"No, Katara! You're not expected to die for me! You are not a normal crew member! You weren't randomly selected from the rejects of the army to be my crew! When will you see that?" he shouted and stalked out of the room.

Katara lay in slight shock on her bed. What was that all about? She closed her eyes and sighed gently. All this excitement wasn't helping her wounds.

Zuko's words echoed in her head in one more time before she slowly drifted off to sleep…

"You're not a normal crew member… When will you see that?"