..Yawn..wow what time is it? HOLY GEE WILKERS BATMAN! I had better get to work.Oh yeah a little bit of darkness and a little bit of gore closer to the end

Katara laid in the dark room listening to the sounds around her. Her head was resting on her love's chest, and rising and falling with every breath he took. His heart beat, was so steady. She could hear the wide whipping about outside the iron walls, and the soft waves that ever so gently rocked the mighty ship. Every once in a while she would hear the baby move and tussle about in his bed.

She was taking in everything. She wanted to remember all of this, the feelings, the emotions, the long awaited happiness and long lost feeling of belonging.

She looked over Zuko as he slept. She couldn't believe she had never noticed how truly beautiful he was. Silky black hair, honey colored eyes. She did know why she hadn't seen him like that before. He never let her. She brought her hand up to lightly touch the blood stone, coupled tight with her mother's stone. She wrapped her fingers around them. She knew what a hand carved stone meant to her people. Especially if it was worn around the neck. But what of his people? Was it just a mere forget-me-not? Or did the same meaning flowing to the different nations?

But what if it did mean that they were engaged? He couldn't possible expect her to take the throne at his side as the Fire Lady, could he? The Fire Nation had destroyed alot of things that were very special to her. Her mother, most of her village, and possibly even her father. If she was to take the throne with him, wouldn't that be turning her back on her people? And what of Sokka? Oh lord, how would her brother handle this? How would Aang?

A tear fell from her eye. Her feelings were so wrong. Everyway she looked at them. She wished with all her soul that they had met under different circumstances. She looked up at him and ran her had gracefull over his toned abdomen. She caressed every ripple every curve and contore of his chest making her way to his neck.

Everything happens for a reason. That was right. Didn't she say the same thing to Aang? So the way she felt, the entire situation, his reciprocation of her feelings, may have all been predestined. She had no control over how she felt, and maybe it was better that way. Obviously some one had everything already laid out and it was in their hands. She closed her eyes and took in his scent, slowly drifting off to sleep.

Zuko woke up and looked down at the girl cradled possesively in his arms. He smild as he looked over her face. The necklace. It fit her perfectly. He didn't know that the color red could look so beautiful. But her skin, the radiance, the stone. Everything fit so perfectly. His smile vanished. They fit so perfectly, but becaus of his own damned ambitions he was forcing her to leave.

It's for the best. He quietly and softly slipped his arms out from under her and stood up. He had made a solemn vow and by god he was going to keep it. He walked over to his sons bed and leaned over it looking down at the sleeping form. So tiny. But such a big bundle of love that came with it. He leaned down close and kissed his son's little hand.

"I promise you, my son, you're mother will be with us again. Don't hate me in the mean time."He said and dressed. He picked his child up, still sleeping. And they headed off to the deck.

On the deck the sun was already high. They had overslept. Zuko held the bottle for his son, who gulped it down stingily. Zuko's face was hard. He had decided he would have to be that way. If he wasn't he would completely loose it and say fuck the avatar, and keep Katara by his side. But what of that? He couldn't expect to have a family, a happy one at least, stuck on a ship in the middle of the water. He had the opporunity to give his son, and his lover everything that their hearts desired. That was his knew goal. Not just to take back what was rightfully his, but to do everything in his power to keep those close to him as happy as possible.

He frowned. Yeah real happy, I'm completely tearing the whole situation up, but it needs to be done. He looked up as his uncle came to the deck, cup of tea in hand.

"Prince Zuko. Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"No. I really don't want to talk about it, uncle." Iroh shook his head. The boy never wanted to talk about anything. He shook his head and watched his nephew walk over to the railing and look out at the Earth Kingdom Village, that they were about to dock at. It wasn't little, but it wasn't one of the grander cities.

Zuko's heart felt like puking. Yeah his heart. His stomach wasn't even anywhere where it was supposed to be and he had a throbbing between his eyes like someone stabbing him. He shook his head and looked down at Riyo. Riyo was looking up at his father with his big gold eyes, looking very sad, as if he was begging him to stop this.

"You are to young to be doing that." Zuko frowned at his son and handed him off to his uncle. He couldn't see that right now. No puppy dog eyes for him. Her's were going to be bad enough. He didn't need his newborn putting him through a guilt trip as well.

The ship's landing lowered down and connected to the port. Zuko didn't want to wake Katara. He would wait till they were about to pull out before he said his goodbye. As short and as painless as possible.

Sokka sat straight up and looked around. Sweat poured from his face and his breathing was heavy. He caught himself when he saw Aang still at the reins. They were still flying. Sokka rubbed his forehead. He was loosing it.

dream

Zuko was standing over Katara, a face of pure hatred. He reached down and picked her body up flinging it across the room. As he walked closer towards her his body began to change. Suddenly it wasn't Zuko anymore, but Zhao standing where the prince should have been. He landed a swift kick to Katara's abdomen, causing her to double over and scream out in pain. Another kick came, but this time to her face. She screamed out again crying out for help. She looked up at him, blood and tears streaming down her face.

"Sokka..please help me..."He couldn't. He felt as if were frozen to the ground. He tried to reach for her, to help her but he couldn't move. In a flash of blinding light, everything changed.

Katara was waiting for something. Or was it someone? Yes. In the shadows. A man was standing just out of sight cloaked by the secrecy of the shadows. She walked over to him and embraced him. Sokka couldn't see the person but right as she tip-toed up to kiss the man the were eveloped in fire. Sokka turned his face around.

Zuko was standing a victorious glint in his eye. Three people stood around him. A small child, golden eyes and long black hair. A little boy about five. The two behind him were faded but still there. A girl and a boy around sixteen. One eye cerulean blue, the other a shimmering gold. To both of them. Smiles darkened their faces. He turned back around to find his sister. Everything changed again.

Katara had a woman against a wall. Sokka didn't recognize this woman, or the children from earlier. Katara's eye were full of hate and tears streamed down her face. Katara jerked forwrad and headbutted the woman in the nose sending her to the ground. Katara looked back at Sokka and frowned.

"No one will ever take my child from me." She growled and stomped in the woman's head.

end

The sight of his baby sister covered in blood, her own and other wise, had woke him with a start. He had so many questions. But he had to be strong for Aang so he knew he couldn't talk about it.

Why were his dreams getting weirder and weirder? Who was the man that Katara had seemingly fallen in love with? Who were the children that surrounded Zuko? And who the hell was that woman that Katara had killed? Most importantly, what did all this mean?

Aw..well. I guess Sokka will just have to wait and see. Oh yes and after I finish this I have two stories in the work. One kinda along the lines of this one, but Zuko is a total ass. The other off in left field, but of course whether you like them or not is up to you. Smile