Good chapter. I warned of OOC ness, and if it is any chapter it would be this one. Warnings: cussin, violence, very bad mother-ing, attempted murder, y'know the regular stuff. OH YEAH! for my faithful Zutura well wishers, this is a chapter you will like. I hopes.

Katara opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was being on the deck, and being so weak from everything. She was still sore. She rolled over in the bed and reached for Riyo. But it wasn't the baby that she touched. She squinted her eyes, the sleep still making her vision foggy. It was smooth, and warm, soft almost like..She opened her eyes wide as she realized that she was touching Zuko's back. She jumped and fell backwards off the bed, kicking her self back clumsily with her feet.

Her breath was jagged and heavy in her chest. She covered her ears with her hands and tried to calm herself. Nothing happened! Nothing HAPPENED! She mentally screamed. Then she remembered how injured he was. So with that in mind she knew that even if he were consious he didn't have the strength to try anything. She crawled, hands and knees, back over to the bed. She swallowed hard and lifted up the sheet. She blushed and slammed the sheet back down. All she wanted was to see if his knee was any better, but she got much more then she had bargained for. She stood up and walked out the door. She needed fresh air and to find Riyo.

"Oh Miss Katara you're awake." Iroh said coming up behind her. She turned with a smile and took Riyo into her arms. She looked rather uncomfortable.

"Umm Iroh, why was I in Zuko's bed?" He looked at her and blinked a few times.

"Well you passed out on deck. I thought that was were you had been sleeping." She blusehd even redder.

"Well yeah, but Zuko was there to." Iroh looked at her as if to say your point. Then pointed at the blue-purple mark on her neck. (From the bite remember)

"I can see that." Her eyes grew three times there normal size.

"We haven't been sleeping in the same bed! AND NOTHING HAPPENED" She yelled and walked away. Iroh laughed to himself. He knew that. But a uncle had to do what an uncle had to do.

Katara was still mumbling as she past Lt. Jee. She smiled and greeted him but noticed his weird smile.

"I guess I should start calling you Lady Katara, hmm?" He said. She shrieked and covered her neck with her free hand.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

She huffed, walking off, and looked down at the baby. His golden eyes were gleeming up at her and a small smile crossed his face as he grabbed her finger.

"You look just like you daddy. And strong too." She smiled and walked onto the deck. The sunwas rising? That had ment that she had spent half a day and all the night in Zuko's bed...with him. She blushed deeper. The worst part was that she didn't really mind. She smiled and held the baby in the air. His black hair glistening in the rays of the dawning sun. The baby seemed to wake up a little more as the sun shined down on him. Katara smiled and sat down sitting the baby in her lap propped up against her belly.

"I've told you before, we rise with the sun." Zuko said standing behind her. She turned and looked at him trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"What?"

"You seen how he lived up with the touch of the sun's rays. Riyo means Sun." He said sitting down beside her. "Well not really. You see in anchient text there was a great Fire Lord named Riyo. He was a corageous leader that led his people through many hard times." She looked at him. This was the first time he had spoke more then two sentences to her with out being angry.

"Go on." She said moving Riyo so he could lay back down, he wasn't old enough to sit up for a long time yet.

"He lived for his people, and died for them. He didn't have any heirs and died at a young age. He was assassinated by the Fire Lord Naizo. Who was the beginning of my dynasty." He said leaning back on his elbows. She nodded. She didn't know anything about the Fire Nation, so she couldn't tell if it was the truth or if he was lying to make himself sound smart. He looked over at her and scowled.

"Why did you throw me back into the water?" She glared at him.

"If I wouldn't have you would have lost that leg and most likely have died." He shrugged his shoulders.

"If I would have died then you would have been free? So why not?" He looked at her. She wore a disgusted look on her face and her blue eyes gleamed with hurt.

"Because, you ass, I can't just let someone die! And besides that you ungrateful prince, I may or may not be getting used to you!" She said standing up and walking off, baby in tow. She had almost said waht she meant. May or may not be gettine used to you? What the hell was that Katara. I wanted to say feelings, but how stupid would that have sounded. She huffed and walked back down into the hull. She needed to get Riyo's bottle anyway, and he felt like he needed to be changed.

Zuko smiled. That was the reaction he was hoping for. He was 'getting used to her' aswell. He stood up painfully. She did heal his leg pretty good but it was still hurting. He stood up straight and stretched his back. He wasn't going to let her know that he had woken up when his uncle had laid her in the bed with him. His uncle didn't even know it. For one he was to weak to protest, and for two he felt an uncertain but strong feeling of relaxation when she was next to him, whether the were asleep like earlier, or when they were sparring. He took a deep breath and began to hoble to the door that lead down to the hull, but stopped as he heard some one call him.

"My lord! Prince Zuko!" He turned around and seen a woman with long black hair and golden eyes coming over the rail. She stood up and walked over to him. He looked at her for a moment then his eyes grew wide.

"Oh not you." He grumbled. But the woman didn't act like she heard him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in close to him.

"I knew I would find you my prince. I just knew it." He pushed her shoulders back but she was persistant.

"Now we can be together. You love me and I love you and you will regain your birth right, become Fire Lord and take me as your lady!" She smiled and tried to kiss him.

"Get off my ship!" He threatened but still she kept pawing at him.

Katara sighed as she walked back out onto the deck.

"Listen Zu..." She looked up and seen a woman clinging for dear life to Zuko. Who the hell ... the woman obviously saw her too. The woman glared at her then turned and slapped the prince.

"HOW DARE YOU! You cheated on me! I'm not sure I can forgive that!" She yelled. Katara's eyes got wide. Okay this is weird.

Zuko again pushed the woman back, this time a flash of anger blasted through her features. She threw her hand out pointing at Katara.

"DOES she please you better then I do? IS she a better lover! I doubt it! I would make ten times a better wife then some dirty ugly god knows what like that!" Katara frowned. Zuko started to say something but Katara spoke up.

"Look lady there is nothing like that between me and him. Zuko who is this?"

"This is Riyo's mother." Malana turned daggered eyes on the prince.

"And my name is?" Zuko's anger flared up as well. He was getting really tired of this harlot.

"I don't know your name! I never wanted to know your name! I don't love you! You were there for convience! I paid for the sex not for the feelings, that you claim are there!" Malana didn't seem to fazed by the prince's outburts, just turned her eyes back to Katara. She walked over to her and looked over her.

"A Fire Lord deserves better then some trash like you." Katara glared at Malana and hugged the baby in closer to her. But the prostitute didn't stop.

"I bet you wouldn't even give him a proper heir! You worthless piece of flesh!"

"That's ENOUGH!" Zuko shouted walked over and grabbing Malana's arm. She was finally starting to get it and she wasn't liking it.

"Listen here YOUR MAJESTY! I didn't spend nine months of my life carrying your child, then ten miserable hours of excruciating pain to deliver the bastard for you to toss me to the side like an over used rag!" Katara felt her blood begin to boil. This woman who was supposed to be Riyo's mother had just called her own son a bastard.

"If I had known that you were going to run off, I would have killed it before it was born!" Katara's anger grew with each insulting 'it' and the word killed didn't set well with her either. Zuko back handed the woman. Malana looked back at the Prince and laughed.

"See you do love me! Even if that child wasn't born you still would love me!" Katara could feel the water reaching out to her. She wasn't the only one. Zuko looked at her as the ship rocked in the growing waves. This caught Malana's attention as well.

"Oh so you got you a little water bender? You would be killed before this ugly lump of flesh was even able to kiss you! It's forbidden fora fire-bender or anyone of the FireNation to go out of their element!Now then little girl, give me my child!" Malana ordered. Katara held Riyo close to her.

"You are not worthy of this child! He is my child and there's nothing you can do about that!" Katara hissed a pure and unadultered hatred singing from her voice. Zuko stared at her. Did he hear her right? Malana curled her lip up.

"I would rather it drown before the ugly likes of you took it away from me!" Malana grabbed at the child catching a piece of cloth. That was a mistake. Katara growled and jerked back pulling the cloth free.

She threw her arm out and back causing a huge gush of water to knock Malana into the water. Zuko would have sworn he seen fire in the water bender's eyes. Katara ran over to the rail and forced the water to bombard the woman in wave after wave, sending Malana's body tumbling under each time she surfaced.

"YOU'D RATHER DROWN YOUR OWN SON!" Katara screamed and forced another wave on the woman. This time she coached the ocean's arms around the girl holding her under. Katara was sweating from the bending and from the hatred inside her. Never had she had such loathing and disgust for another human being. Zuko grabbed her arm.

"Katara!" She looked over at him tears streaming from her focused eyes. "Don't " he pleaded, not for the life of the hooker drowning in the water, but for Katara's innocence. She glared at him her chest rising and falling violently with every deep breath. She closed her eyes and culred up her nose.

"Fine, I won't kill her." She said opening her eyes and releasing her grip of the water. Malana surfaced gasping desperatly for air. Katara growled and brought her arm back, building up a large wave right in front of the girl.

"But the ocean WILL!" She screamed as she threw the wave as hard and as far as she could. Malana was gone, completely out of sight and her screams were no longer heard.

Katara relaxed and took a deep breath. She looked down at the baby who's tiny hands were clutched around the neck of her shirt.

Zuko stood in complete shock. Never had he ever imagined this water bender to have such a temper, or such a powerful control over her bending element. He was confused as well.

"Why would you still long to care after the child, after finding out that his mother was a mentally ill harlot, and his father an exiled prince of a Nation that started this war?" She turned her vicious glare on him. She walked over to him standing directly infront of him.

"Riyo couldn't pick his parents! It wasn't his fault he was born! I can't punish this precious child because of who his parents are!" She was in tears and shaking from the extreme anger. Zuko didnt' falter he had another question.

"You told her that Riyo was your child?" She shook as she glared at him.

"Yes. He is mine. I have raised him since he was no more then a day old! I am the only mother this child has ever had!" Zuko nodded.

"He's my son."

"That doesn't matter!" She cried. She fell to her knees. "It doens't matter." Zuko kneeled down beside her placing a hand on her shoulder. His leg was throbbing and the pain was immense, but a different pain was stronger. His heart was longing to reach out for this girl, to give her every right to be his son's mother, but his stubborness and pride wouldn't let him. She looked up at him a fierce look in her eye which startled him. She reached up and grabbed his collar jerking him down to look her in the eyes only an inch from her face.

"You're mine too." She hissed before pulling him violently into a long needed and much deserved kiss.

This is not the last chapter. Hope you liked. Yeah I liked the whole Katara making the first move and being dominant for a change, well at least when she's worked up. Crazy woman has died.. Rejoice or mourn? Whatever tickles your Buddah