Chapter 4

The water below the ship whizzed by, leaving a smooth path behind. It was so peaceful and relaxing just to stare at it all go by. It was like all of your worries and sins washed by with the sparkling water. Zuko felt this way now. He had been looking over the railing into the water for an hour now.

He remembered how he loved to swim with his sister, Zula, before he was banished and before her heart turned black. He stilled loved to swim now, but not as much as he had. "Zuko don't go out so far away!" she would always plead to him when he swam too far from shore. "Don't worry I'm coming back." He would say. " Well hurry. It's getting dark and if we're not back and ready for dinner, father will be mad." The memory came quickly and was gone just as quick. He had loved to swim.

Every now and then he would have an urge to jump into the icy water and swim as far down as he could till he was gone from the face of the earth. Now was one of thoughs times.

Two warm, skinny arms rapped around his waist, while a thin chin was placed on his shoulder. Her tiny body got close to his. He didn't say anything, but just continued to stare at the ocean. He kept on remembering the times he loved best… being with his family.

"Zuko, my sweet, what's wrong?" whispered a honey, sweet voice in his ear. He slowly turned around in her grasp. He stared deep into her brown, blue eyes. Why do I like her? He thought. Why do I like him? She thought.

2 weeks before…

Zuko walked down the dirt road of the market. "FISH! GET YOUR FISH!" a man yelled to him from behind a stand with raw fish hanging on stings. Zuko just ignored him and kept on walking. As he got father down the yelling from other selling stands got worse. Everyone was trying to sell him stuff.

He kept walking until he got to the adobe houses. They were cleverly made, with straw stuck with the red clay to help it stay longer. He started looking in the windows of the houses searching for a certain girl.

He finally found her by the river that was at the end of the road. She was singing and washing her clothes using water bending. She carefully used a water whip to bang the dirt out and then a water ball to soak the cloth. She sang the whole time she did this. She had such a sweet voice, one that would melt any guy's soul.

Zuko seemed to be prone to it though as he briskly walked up to her, grabbed her shoulder and yanked her around to face him. She immediately responded, bringing a wave of dirt up between them. She brought some water out of the stream, raising her other hand high to form a tall dirt wall. She plunged the water into the dirt and waved her hands around to mix the elements together, making a mud wall instead of dirt.

She's good at her elements. Zuko thought. He blocked her attacks and used a fire stream to lift himself up over the wall that had been formed between them. He quickly grabbed her hands before she could do anything more and held her still.

"What do you want!" she spat at him.

"For information."

"What kind?"

"I heard that you were the last to see the avatar. Where is he now
or where is he heading? And don't fool me or your town will suffer
do to you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He tightened his grip on her to show that he meant business.

"Oww! Ok, ok I'll tell you! He was heading to the Northern Water
Tribe last time we talked so that he could learn waterbending."

He released her and started to walk away when he felt the cold of
water hit his back. He turned around to face her.

" What?" he snapped.

" I want to go. I won't let you go unless you take me with you!" she
demanded.

"Phhh, what could you do to me? You are just a weak girl!"

" Just this" She bended the water out of the stream and formed a water whip. It hit is stomach and he doubled over. She waved her arms in a circle causing the earth to twist around Zuko like a snake. Soon he was incased up to his head, she bended the water out of the stream and bended it around Zuko. She blew on it and it turned to ice.

"Fine. Just let me out." She brought her arms down and the earth and water slid away.

"What is your name?" He spat.

"It's Lalue." What he doesn't know is that I am going to
find a way to stop him from finding the Avatar. She said to herself.

" You won't be treated any different than a hostage. Clear?"

"Crystal"

They began to walk down the dirt path back to the ship.

The present…

He continued to stare into her eyes. He saw a shimmer of fear in them. He wanted to fix it, but then again, he didn't. He slowly pulled out of her arms and walked across the deck. Suddenly a crewmember yelled down to him from the crow's nest causing him to jump slightly.

"PRINCE ZUKO, WE SEE LAND! THERE IS THE AVATAR AND HIS FRIENDS ON THE SHORE TOO!"

Lalue whirled around at that last comment. OH NO… Aang get out of there!

"Men head for the island! No… better yet Lalue and I will go alone. Ready the boat!" Zuko shouted his orders. Everyone got right on to do them.

The small boat was ready for the departure in no time and Zuko was rushing Lalue to get in. She finally crawled in and sat reluctantly. Zuko was crawling in after her and already had one leg in the boat when he heard a voice behind him.

"Zuko, where are you going off to in such a hurry?" Iroh asked.

"The Avatar is on that island, Uncle. We need to get there."

"Well ok but I will just tell you that while you are that island, I will be taking the crew and we will be heading to the closest town, which is about a day away from here. I need more tea. I only have but 2 more crates left. We will be back in about 2 or 3 days to pick you two up. Think you can handle it by yourselves?"

" Yes Uncle I can handle it! Now I must go." Zuko spat venomously and climbed into the boat while he signaled for his men to lower them down in to the water.

"Oh and Zuko," Iroh, half laughing, yelled over the railing of the ship, "make me some grand nieces and nephews while your there alone!"

Both Lalue and Zuko blushed.

/A.N/ Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Please everybody review. Oh and just wanted to say that I don't own the Avatar or any of the main characters. And yes I know that right now it seems like this will never be a zukara story, with Zuko already having a girlfriend and all, but believe me it will. And this whole chapter was Zuko's way, sorry. It will be the gang's way again in the next chapter. How many chapters should I have? Please tell me, cause I don't know. Sorry that all my chapters are short by the way. Love ya'll and please review.

Dolphin Water

P.S. Please read Sukia Fire's story