Here goes. Enjoy. More saddness.

Katara avoided the prince at any cost for the rest of the day. She couldn't see him. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she would miss him almost as much as Riyo. And he knew it. He knew exactly what he was doing. She had feelings for him, alot of feelings. Not the usual ones either. The ranged from hatred, to love, to wanting to vomit at the sight of him, to the need from him to hold her. It was enough to make her sick.

She held Riyo close, even as he slept. She had to get in as much time as she could, before she lost him. She knew that any way she looked at it, he was her child. She could never and would never be able to replace him, or even fill the space that he had settled into her heart.

It wasn't only that. The first six weeks or so of a child's life is when it bonds to it's parents. She was the only mother that Riyo had known. What would happen to him if she was taken away? How would he be affected?

She shook her head. Any way she looked at it, it wasn't fair. She was going to be stranded, no food, no place to stay , and the worst part, no Sokka, no Aang. She looked down at the baby as a tear slid down her face. No Riyo, hell not even Zuko. She hated this. It was worse then staying on the floating tuna can, that they called a ship.

Zuko could feel the tension. The look of ultimate betrayal that beamed from her eyes, and hit him hard. He knew she didn't understand and probably would never understand. But this had to be done. He didn't want her to go, and he knew that his son needed her. Truth be told, he needed her, but she would never know that. He had control over his emotions, his feelings. He wasn't some little girl like she was. She would look at him, speak to him, or even acknowlege his existence.

It was infuriating. She had a look of sorrow in her eyes that he knew he would never get used to, much less forget.

He had to get rid of her. He had to convince himself of that. If he didn't things would get even harder. He had to capture the Avatar. The Avatar was her friend. Someone would get hurt in the battle. He didn't want her to see that. For him to capture a close friend of hers, just to turn him in for right to the throne, wasn't an experience that he wanted her to associate with him.

Zuko was full of pride. He was controling, dominant, and like hell he was going to let some water tribe peasant watlz in and steal his heart right out from under his nose. Well, at least that was what he told himself. He knew for a fact that she had. But seemed she had done it unwillingly. She despised him, but she didn't.

He couldn't say the same. Something in him told him that, to even think that he hated her was a lying act of foolishness. And he was no fool. He would admit to himself and only himself that he didhave feelings forher.

Iroh bussled about busily. He hadn't noticed the teens somber moods. He was much to imbedded in his own project. He had spotted the small boat that Riyo's mother had been on, and ordered it brought onto the ship, unbeknownst to Prince Zuko.

He had instructed one of the ship's best metal workers to remodel the boat. Iroh giggled to himself. He knew that it would come in handy. He inspected it carefully. It was coming along nicely but it still had a day or so worth of work that needed to be put into it, then it had to be painted, well parts of it anyway.

Katara was washing Riyo off in the wash basin, letting his little hands splash in the water, when she heard the door open. She knew who it was and wasn't even gonna give him the pleasure of seeing her eyes red and puffy from the torrent of tears that she had yet to be able to supress.

Zuko glared at her back. She was focused on the baby. He moved and sat down in the chair and watched her. His heated stare making her visibly nervous. He studied her intently. Her brown hair was always neatly in the same style. Her clothes. So the pants were missing a leg, it still fit her well. Hugging the right spots and leaving plenty to his overactive imagination. He closed his eyes tight. Not these thoughts again. That's what got him into this whole mess in the first place.

Katara could feel his eyes on her back. She wasn't going to look at him, DAMMIT! Even if it killed her she wasn't. She picked Riyo up out of the bath wrapping him a little in her shirt tail. She set him on the bed and began to dress him. Zuko was standing over her now. Go away She whined mentally. Hadn't he caused her enough pain and misery for one day.

"I'm tired." He stated flatly. She nodded and picked the baby up, avoiding eye contact.

"Just let me get Riyo to sleep." She said her voice faint, with very little effort put into it.

He nodded and retreated to his wash room. He wanted to change in private since her little dominatrix episode. When he came back she was just laying Riyo down on the bed. He nodded and looked at her.

"Bed or chair?" He had no idea which she would rather.S he shook her head and started out the door.

"Where do you think you are going?" She didn't turn to look at him when she answered.

"To sleep on the deck." He glared at her. Of all the idiotic...He grabbed her arm.

"No you're not." She pulled her arm but to no use.

"Yes I am." She said determined to keep her face in the opposite direction of him.

"WHY? Do you want to be raped!" She cringed at his words. She was about to lose her temper. "Did you hear me!" She could feel his grip tightening.

She jerked around to look at him. Let the bastard see my tears, I don't care anymore! She glaredat him the tears welled thickly in her eyes.

"I heard you! But I'll take my chances! It's a full moon, and I'll be surrounded by water!" She spat. He glared at her. The look in her eyes let him know she was very serious.

"You will stay in here!" That was the last that she could stand." She jerked her hand from him and pushed him back by the shoulder taking him off guard.

"I'm tired of you telling me what I can or can't do, or what I will or will not do! What are you so afraid of? That I'll escape? Hell you're putting me out anyway! What difference would it make? Let me tell yo something right now, if I didn't love your child with all my heart, I could sink this whole damn ship! All of this because of a stupid little kiss! All of this becuase I love you! And you! You're so afraid that you will lose control over something or somebody! I'll tell you right now that you never had control! Of anything! That is why you are the way you are! You're a miserable exiled prince! Just because you're life isn't the way you want it doesn't give you the right to screw up everyone elses!" She snapped in the harshes whisper she could muster up. She did not, under any circumstance, what to wake the baby up.

He just started at her, wide eyed and shock. That was the very last thing he would expect from this girl. She was yelling at him, well sort of. Telling him how worthless and dispicable he truly was, in her eyes. She started to turn and walk off, but he was not going to lose this battle.

He snorted and walked over to her picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. She gasp and started kicking him and hitting him. The extra weight on his injured knee didn't help the situation either. He threw her down in the chair and turned and locked the door. He buried the key deep in his pocket and looked at her.

She was in pieces. Her hands were covering her face muffling her sobs.

"Stop you crying and go to sleep!" He growled the order. She looked up at him. Fine! But I could play your game too. She stood up with a huff and walked to the far side of the room. She sat down then laid down on her side her back to him.

"What are you doing now?"

"If you are going to make me stay in here with you, I'll be damned if I'm closer then this!" Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Whatever!" He spat at her and crawled into his bed beside Riyo.

A few hours past and Katara finally drifted off to sleep. The sound of sleep breathing calmed her. She could really tell the difference. Zuko's was strong and deep, where as the baby's was softer. She was sleeping peacefully enough, when she heard this loud thud, followed by bottom of the lungs screaming.

She jumped up and turned. Zuko was just as awake as she was now. She crawled over to the bed, guided by the light of a fire that Zuko had brought to his hand. He was holding Riyo tight inspecting him closely. She loked at the baby in fear as he screamed. Zuko look up and sent the fire to the various candles around the room lighting it dimly.

Katara grabbed Riyo from his fathers arms and stood up, holding him close to her. After a little bit his crying died down to a whining moan. She shot a glare at Zuko.

"How did you let him fall off the bed!" Zuko glared back at her.

"I didn't know he would!" She sighed she couldn't be mad at him. The baby wasn't supposed to learn to roll over until he was two or three months. She finally calmed Riyo down enough to look over him. He wasn't red anywhere, and didn't have any risens. She smiled in relief, he hadn't hit the steel. Zuko's room was the only one lined with wood planks, and just under his bed there was a thick rug. That's what Riyo landed on. The baby drifted back to sleep. She glared over at the Prince, who was frightened and showing signs of guilt. Her face softened as she walked over to him.

"He is a little young to be rolling over, but he's like his dad. He learns fast and what he learns he takes off running with." Zuko nodded looking over his son as Katara sat down next to him. She turned and looked at the other side of the bed. It was against the wall, but there was still a little gap that he could fall into.

"Can the bed go anyfurther back?" Zuko shook his head, still slightly in shock. She sighed. She knew what would have to be done now. She didn't like and knew he wouldn't but she couldn't risk the child's life for her own convience.

"Go ahead and lay back down." She said softly. Almost in a trance Zuko obeyed, laying down closest to the wall on his side facing her. She leaned over the bed and placed Riyo protectively in his father's arms. Zuko finally got his head back and scowled at her.

"What are you doing!" She glared at him, laid back on the bed. She leaned over onto her side and faced him, her expression cold.

"We have to keep him from falling. This is the only way, for now. I won't touch you, you don't touch me!" She hissed. Laying down facing Riyo. Zuko relaxed down into a comfortable postition. He remembered what it was like sleeping with her beside him when he was hurt. He watched as her eyes slowly closed. He sat up and pulled the blanket up over all of them. This was how it was meant to be. Father, Baby, and...Mother. He watched her for a while. She had confessed her love for him. It may have been in a tempermental rampage, but still she had. He loved her in return... So what could he do to make her believe that? He wanted to show her his feelings, even though he thought he decided against it. She opened up to him, but if he opened up to her would that make the seperation all the more difficult for the three of them?

Okay there you go. Me tired. It's almost one in the morning. IF I mispelled something. Sorry. I'll do better next chapter.