I love the precious reviews! They are very dear to me… and I want to keep writing. Oh, and I don't own Avatar… By the way, theoretically ('cause I don't want to give anything away), if you are uneasy with an attempted rape… don't read this chapter! Gosh, now I had to go and give it away! Grumble. Anyway, I hope I don't scare any of you away, I just want to keep in mind the realistic aspects of this... (Lonely, drunk men).
I walked slowly to the railing and leaned over, letting the faint spray of the ocean cool my face. I was still out of breath from the dance, but I had absolutely loved it. I'd managed to pull it off exactly as I'd imagined. I smiled to myself.
I heard a noise behind me and I turned around suddenly. It was the guy I'd asked to light the third candle, but he was staggering drunkenly. I personally despised getting drunk, so I didn't feel too sympathetic to him right then.
"Are you alright?" he asked me, his voice slurred.
I turned back to face the water. "Yeah, just a bit out of breath, and I miss my home." He stumbled over to the railing to join me.
"I undershtand… I misss my family and home too. I've been on this shtinking boat for so long."
"I'm sorry. How long has it been?"
He looked at me, eyes slightly glazed over and watery.
"You're very pretty."
"Um… thanks." I looked away; his drunkenness was awkward to be around. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked at him again.
"Are you lonely?" He asked, peering intently into my face.
"Just a bit…"
He broke into a lopsided, creepy grin.
"I can make it better." What?
Suddenly he lunged in and planted his mouth on mine. It stunk of beer and who knows what else he'd eaten, and I tried to pull away quickly but he grabbed my hair, holding me still. I saw a glint of something shiny and hard in the starlight.
"Don't make a noise, or I'll cut you." My eyes widened on the curved dagger he held up close to my neck. I froze momentarily, before I struggled to get away again.
No! Oh God no, this isn't happening… this can't be happening! I wouldn't let him do this without fighting, even if he threatened to knife me. I opened my mouth to cry out but he covered it with his hand and pushed me back. I stumbled, grabbing wildly at the railing but couldn't catch it and I fell on my back on the deck, the man falling on top of me.
No!
I pulled on his hand, trying to get it off my mouth so I could call for help but he was stronger and I couldn't budge his hand. His other hand yanked at the knot around my waist and it came free. I screamed into the back of his hand but there was only a muffled noise that none of the revelers could hear.
He removed his hand and I took a breath to scream again only to have him kiss me again, while his hands pulled my dress open, revealing my white camisole. That was all that kept him from getting to me.
Stop, please! This can't happen! I sobbed, and thrashed wildly but he pinned my hands down and I couldn't do a thing. I could feel his rough breathing on my neck and tears slid down my cheeks. A whimper escaped my throat.
Suddenly, there was a loud thud, and the man let out an "Oof!" He went flying off me and into the railing beside us. With his weight off me I abruptly felt dizzy and closed my eyes, shaking hard. I heard scuffling near me: grunts and the sound of hitting, but I didn't open my eyes yet; I was still too scared.
There was a muffled cry of pain. I knew the voice, and I wasn't scared for just myself anymore. Forcing myself to open my eyes, I caught sight of Zuko stumbling away from my attacker, clutching a hand to his chest. I could see a long line of red from where the knife had sliced him.
The other man raised the knife once more to stab Zuko while he was dazed. Without thinking, I lifted my hand and gathered all the water that was in the air, bringing it around he attacker and causing it to freeze at the same time. He watched in a drunken daze as the water congealed thickly around his legs, hardened, then continued to move up over his body stopping his arm with the dagger poised in mid air above Zuko, and finally covering his head.
When I saw he couldn't hurt anyone now, I let my arm drop limply to the ground. Pulling the open dress together, I allowed my eyes to close and I didn't remember much after that. All I remember was voices, people moving me, and hands touching me, which I really didn't like. I'm fairly certain I hit a few people.
At some point I guess I fell asleep because when I opened my eyes I was in a dim room on a bed. My dress was hanging over a low chair beside my bed, and all of a sudden I realized I was in the medical ward again. Memories of what had happened flashed in my mind and I felt sick for a moment.
I pushed myself into a sitting position, wrapped my blanket over my shoulders, and looked around. There was someone else in the bed next to mine with white bandages across his chest. It was Zuko, either sleeping or drugged or something.
"Zuko… you ok?" I whispered softly, trying not to wake him up if he was sleeping. He groaned softly and lifted his hand to his forehead. I grimaced guiltily.
"Sorry, I thought you were asleep."
He propped himself up slowly, looking at his bandages then at me. I unconsciously tried to hide any bare skin that could have been showing.
"Are you ok?" He actually looked concerned.
"I… I think I am. He didn't…" I closed my eyes, trying to block out the recent feelings and sounds.
"Are you sure?" Zuko looked at me worriedly and made as if to sit up.
"No, don't get up. I don't want your cut to reopen. Heh, I got pretty scared when I saw that he'd got you. And yeah, I'm ok, thanks." I smiled sideways at him.
"My cut isn't too bad, I've had worse." I glanced over at his bandages and suddenly noticed there were other lines and scars on his body, though barely noticeable. I also noticed how muscular he was.
What the heck! I blushed and looked away quickly. I've never noticed something like that before and been embarrassed about it. I'm still flustered I think… yeah.
"So… what – I mean, is he…?"
"Hue? The soldier who attacked you? After you froze him, help came and I had him locked in the prison cells. Most likely we will kick him off at the next port: even though he was drunk, he attacked us and cannot be allowed to stay."
"I feel like it's partly my fault…"
He looked at me oddly, raising a single eyebrow. I could have laughed if I weren't so depressed; usually I was one of the only ones who could do the eyebrow thing.
"Nonsense, you can't help it if men are attrac- …" Zuko blushed crimson and lay back down, looking up to the ceiling.
It took a minute for what he was going to say to sink in, then I blushed and started laughing. Apparently, he hadn't really thought he'd get this reaction. Zuko looked at me strangely.
"Sorry, it's just… it's funny." I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. "Wait, how long was I out?"
"Not long actually. It has only been a few hours." Iroh and the doctor were back; they'd just walked in the room. I grinned at them.
"This is a little too familiar." They both smiled appreciatively.
"Indeed, but this time, Zuko's not feeling as hot tempered." Iroh tried to smother a grin. He managed to look smug instead. "I see you two have been getting along fine."
"Yeah…?" Zuko and I both shot suspicious looks at Iroh. I decided to change the subject quickly. "Iroh, what happened to you? It looks like you got in a fight." He suddenly grinned.
"Ah, that would be when we tried to move you indoors after you lost consciousness. A little too much contact for you to take in one night, I believe." My eyes widened.
"I did that to you? I'm so sorry! I thought I'd hit someone…"
"Actually, you hit quite a few of us." I let out an uneasy laugh.
"Sorry…"
"Don't be." The doctor handed me one of my new tunics. "We should have kept better watch on you; we just aren't used to having a woman on board and didn't expect something like this to happen." I sighed.
"Yeah, it's ok… nothing too bad happened."
Except he kissed me. Twice! I unconsciously touched my lips, curling my hand into a fist. I feel so dirty now…
"Is it… ok if I go and clean up? I'd like to get some rest."
"Of course. Don't feel obligated to get up too early tomorrow, we would understand if you chose to sleep in."
"Thanks… I may do that. And I am sorry for causing trouble." I turned away from them and slipped the tunic on over my camisole, grabbed my red dress, and left the room.
Zuko had watched Kristen try to disguise her feelings. He knew she felt used, and embarrassed, and the thought of Hue attacking her made his eyes light up in anger all over again.
Kristen dressed herself in the tunic quickly, turning away from the three of them so they couldn't see her and Zuko felt guilty. If he had only asked her to stay with them or something, maybe if he had gone to talk to her instead of leaving her alone and then debating for the longest time on whether or not to follow her. If he had gone sooner he could have stopped Hue before he'd gone so far.
After Kristen had left, the Doctor and Iroh turned their attention to Zuko. The Doctor reopened the bandages, cleaned the wound, and bound Zuko's chest tightly with new cloth, then he was allowed to go.
"Make sure you don't do anything strenuous or active the next few days; I want your cut to heal nicely. This one shouldn't leave a scar if you give yourself time to recover."
The Doctor left, and Zuko slowly got up and put on a new red tunic.
"Are you sure you're alright, nephew? You looked very upset when we arrived."
Zuko shook his head slightly. "I'm sure Uncle. I was just… I hadn't expected something like that to ever happen."
Iroh nodded. "I understand, and admit it was one of the last things on my mind." He sighed deeply. "I suppose we'll have to keep a better watch on her from now on. Though I do say she handled her bending well enough after you arrived."
Zuko suddenly realized something. "Why didn't she use it before? It took very little effort for her to control the water and freeze him after … but she could have done it any time before that." He looked slightly puzzled.
"Maybe she forgot about her new abilities; you must remember this is all still new to her. But then again, you should probably ask her yourself."
"Then I will ask her. But later, not now. Now I need rest, and so does she."
