A/N: Hi, everyone! Don't come after me with the pitchforks and torches just yet. I have an explanation for the long wait. Several, actually. My mom took my computer away, there was an error in uploading the document, and I had a virus. I could have keeled over and died. No updates for thirteen days… Find a happy place. Find-a-happy-place. Findahappyplace! The good news: I just save a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Gieco.
Just kidding. Here's the story.
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Katara followed a silent Zuko into the muddy swamp water, wading into it waist deep. They had been silent for nearly two hour and the exiled prince intended to keep it that way. Dusk was falling fast. He was in no mood for a conversation right now—especially with that waterbender. She confused him. Why had she even cared about his scar? Was he only confusing pity for care? That was it; the girl only pitied him.
Zuko peered over his shoulder to see the girl hurrying to keep up. She was bending some of the muddy water out of the way, looking down in concentration. Sweat beaded on her tan forehead. At this rate, she would pass out from exhaustion within the hour. Zuko wouldn't admit it out loud—he barely admitted it to himself—but this girl was no weakling. She wouldn't tire so quickly for an hour long walk. Something must have happened to her before they discovered one another. He slowed his pace.
"Why are you slowing down?" Katara questioned, short of breath.
"So you can keep up." The reply was short.
"Keep going. I can keep up." the girl insisted. The firebender had to admit he admired her determination.
"No. You need to save your strength. I'm not going to carry you if you pass out from exhaustion." His voice was a little harsher than it had been in the past few weeks. Maybe it was something to do with being around his enemies. Although the girl wasn't really an enemy now that he wasn't chasing after the Avatar any more…
"Like you'd be able to carry me." the waterbender scoffed, bending more water out of the way. "I'm heavier than I look." Zuko stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to the girl, who had nearly crashed into him. Tendrils of water fell back to their home in the swamp as she looked up at him with bluer than blue eyes.
"You might be but I'd still be able to--" Zuko picked Katara up, bridal style, "lift you." Katara's eyes were wide as she stared at the exiled prince. She clung to his shoulder like a cat to a post as if afraid of falling. "I'm stronger than I look." the firebender said with a small smirk. He began walking again.
"Wait!" Katara cried. "What are you doing?"
"Carrying you. You said you didn't think I could." Zuko felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. Though this girl seemed a few years younger than him, she did seem rather cute, flailing to get away. He ignored his conscience screaming 'What did you say!' and kept walking. Katara finally relaxed, letting out a huff of frustration.
They kept going for a while, neither saying a word. The waterbender just looked up at the young man carrying her; he was looking straight ahead, the slightest curve of a smile painted on his face. She smiled to herself. At least the ex-prince wasn't being so sour and trying to capture Aang and throwing streaks of fire like a mad man. He looked sort of cute when he smiled. Wait. What had she just thought? "I said 'sort of'. It doesn't count." she said to herself. But all the same, she knew she had thought it. And without thinking, she laid her head on the firebender's chest. It was warm and amazingly muscular. She fought back a smile as he looked down at her. She averted her eyes, pretending to seem interested in the scenery: lots of leafy (demon) trees and murky water. Can't forget the nasty, muddy water. Zuko bit his lip as he felt heat rise in his cheeks. Blushing. He was blushing. His gaze wandered elsewhere, but he felt the girl's eyes on him.
"So where are you and your uncle going?" Katara asked rather slowly.
"Nowhere. We're just trying to find a village for supplies that isn't raided by Fire Nation soldiers." The waterbender felt the rumble in Zuko's chest when he spoke. Then, silence.
"Don't go to Omashu, then. It's crawling with firebenders." More silence. "Why can't you go home anymore? Aang hasn't been captured yet." She felt Zuko's grip around her side tighten slightly.
"I helped the enemy." The firebender's mouth felt suddenly dry.
"What?"
Zuko cleared his throat. "I helped your friend out of a jam once. The Avatar." A pause. "Aang, was it?" Katara nodded, curiosity and confusion clear in her eyes. "Didn't he tell you about the Blue Spirit?"
"What? You're the Blue Spirit?" The waterbender could have fallen over had she been standing on her own two feet. Once she and her brother were well from their strange illness, the Avatar had told them what had happened. Katara had a conniption, vowing she'd never be sick again (subtracting, of course, the fact she was flailing her arms a hundred miles an hour). But the monk had 'accidentally' left out just who the 'spirit' was.
"Yes." Zuko said softly. He suddenly stopped walking and gently placed the water tribe girl on her own two feet. He walked past her without another word, pace back to normal. After a moment, the shocked waterbender sprinted after the young man, falling into step with him. Being stubborn, the firebender quickened his pace even more. Katara did too, jogging to keep up. At least she didn't need to bend water out of the way now that the pair was on dry land.
"Zuko, thank you." she said, out of breath already. The exiled prince stopped dead in his tracks, making the girl stop too. He stared at her, searching her features as if they held an answer. Finally, he snapped to his senses. He began walking again.
"It was for my benefit only. I didn't care about you and your worthless peasant brother." The firebender found it unnerving that she continued to smile. Hadn't she heard his rude remark? More importantly, did she care?
"Or Aang." she added, walking backwards. Zuko stared at her again. "What?" she asked. "Is there something on my face or something?" The firebender shook his head, pushing past his (for lack of better word) companion again. Were girls always worried about their looks? He certainly hadn't thought that water peasant would. After all, the girl didn't seem to wear any makeup or lip paint. The man shuddered as he thought of all of the women back in the Fire Nation that would put white paste all over their faces… And could they gossip! Wait. How did he arrive at that when he was thinking about the waterbender? Wait. He was thinking about the water bender!
Katara was only a few steps behind, remarkably. "I know it was for your own benefit, but it helped us too. So thanks."
Zuko ignored her, stepping over a small hole. He had nearly stepped in it due to the fast falling darkness. "Watch out for that--"
And of course, before he could finish, he heard a 'thump' and an 'Ow!' He stopped, letting out a grunt of frustration. The firebender turned to see the girl on the ground. No surprise there. Clutching her ankle. No surprise there. Crying. What the hell! But sure enough, tears were streaming down her face, her eyes shut so tight, her eyelids wrinkled. Zuko hesitated before kneeling down, laying a hand on her shoulder. She whimpered. And the firebender thought she was strong.
"Twisted or broken?" he asked, no emotion in his voice.
"I don't know." she whimpered.
"Let me see."
"Ow! Don't touch it!"
"I have to!" Zuko snapped, gently lifting her pant leg. He felt the bone and Katara sucked in a big breath of air. "It's only twisted."
"Only?" Katara spat. "Then why does it hurt like hell?" The firebender was taken aback by the girl's tone. The cursing might have had a part in it as well.
"Here. Try to get up." The firebender offered a hand up and the water tribe girl took it. He hoisted her to her feet but she gasped, eyes snapping shut. She fell forward into the fugitive's chest. The man stumbled slightly, ignoring the waterbender's meager apology. Zuko picked her up, bridal style for the second time that day.
"Stop. I'm okay. I just need--"
"You fell over. You're not okay."
"But--"
"No. I'll find us some shelter for the night. Maybe you'll be able to walk in the morning."
"Zuko!"
"Shut up!"
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"What do they have to do in the swamp?" Sokka asked the Swamp Man for the millionth time. Darkness was falling, and they had seen no sign of his baby sister or of that spoiled (apparently) ex-prince Zuko. He was pacing a gigantic branch of the tree at the center of the forest. The Swamp Man was too talking to the fat man named Iroh about some other tea they were drinking to answer. The man had boxes upon boxes of the stuff.
"Oooh, really? They had that in the Air Nation Temple!" Aang exclaimed. Somehow, the young boy had joined in their boring conversation.
"Are you sure you do not want a cup of tea, boy? It calms the nerves. I bet you Katara and Zuko both are looking for a way to this tree. You can see the whole swamp from here." Iroh said, sipping the ancient tea from the Air Nation. Sokka whipped around. It looked like his blue eyes were bulging out of their sockets.
"You think their together?" The water tribe warrior's hands flew to his hair. Iroh nodded with a smile. Sokka let out a shout, pulling out his warrior's wolf tail and fell on the tree branch.
"Really?" Aang asked, arching a brow. "What do you think they need to find in the swamp, General Iroh?" Was it just Sokka, or was Aang showing respect to a firebender?
Iroh's eyes twinkled as he leaned forward to whisper. "I think they are going to find love."
"WHAT!" Sokka screeched. Birds hidden in the trees scrambled to fly away.
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"Zuko, could you bring me some water?" the girl asked. She sat with her back against a tree. The firebender nodded, leaving her side to find a half-decent place to get some clearer water. He returned in moments.
"I hope you--" the man froze, watching the girl stream the water from his canteen. She placed it on her ankle and the water circled around it in a glowing blue ring. It disappeared in seconds, leaving water dripping down her ankle. Zuko was beyond confused.
"I think I can walk now." she said, moving to get up. How could she walk? She'd twisted her ankle less than an hour ago! There was no way anyone could heal that fast.
"What? You were just--"
"I healed it." Her response was so simple and straightforward. It only confused the firebender more. "Water healing." she said, holding back a giggle. "I can do it with my bending. Not many benders know they can, but I was taught how to." She was on her feet now, holding onto the tree for balance. Zuko couldn't help but think Healing my ass. She still needed support!
"I'm not that great, but it'll do for now." She released her hold on the tree and started walking. With a slight limp, Zuko noticed. She looked over her shoulder. "Coming?" Zuko grumbled under his breath. He kept a slow pace this time.
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A/N: Hi! I hope you like the chappie! Only a few more left!
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