Wow, that was really fast, huh? I kinda spent the whole day writing this (as well as singing along to "Walk Away" by Kelly Clarkson). Besides that, this is kinda a filler chapter. I mean, I didn't just use it to take up space, I planned to use this one. It's just that not much really happens, you know?Enough said, though, just go ahead and read.

Chapter 4: Gentle Fire and Grandpa Iroh

The moments came and went in equal silence. The pattern of walking was imprinted in the young waterbender's mind so that she could let her mind wander as she stared at the heels in front of her. Zuko was leading the way, just as he said he would. They hadn't yet come to a dead end but at the same time, hadn't yet seen a sign of an exit. Katara briefly wondered if Zuko really knew what he was doing. Of course he doesn't. He knows as much about this tunnel as I do.

Unknowingly, Katara pulled out from behind the fire nation refugee and walked beside him, still a fair distance away. She knew she couldn't trust him; the only reason he was here was because he was following Aang. Then again, he had fought along side her before. Actually, he'd done all the fighting. Sure, it was her that eventually saved them both, she took great pride in knowing that he owed her in a sense, but he could have left her in the dust and fled. She mulled it over. He could have but he didn't, why? It wasn't for her, she knew as much. Maybe he thought she could still lead him to Aang, or perhaps it was his pride getting in his way?

Katara looked up at her companion, being on the right she could see his good eye, narrowed in concentration. It's definitely his pride. He wasn't paying her any mind so she continued to look. Suddenly her eyes fell to the fire at his hand. Something about it stirred in her. It was different than firebending she'd seen before. Always, firebending was used for torture, destruction, hate. Never before had she seen fire just sit harmlessly in it's master's control for a useful purpose. Fire had killed her mother; it destroyed Kyoshi Island as well as so many other towns; it followed on the heels of her and her friends without reprieve. Katara viciously shook her head. What he was doing was still in hate, even if indirectly. He was doing this for himself so he could continue to follow Aang.

From the corner of his eye Zuko could see the girl—Katara—looking at him. Again, he wondered why he was doing this. He could have just left her alone in the dark and with a waning torch. Why was he still leading her through this infuriating maze? It was his pride. It was always his pride. No matter how much he hated the Earth Kingdom or the Waterbenders he couldn't hate one person all on their own when they'd never done anything to deserve it. His pride wouldn't let him leave this girl alone in the caves, no matter how frustrating she was or how confused he was by her.

"Katara…" he began. After he'd said it he wasn't sure why he'd used her name. She'd told it to him before but he wasn't planning on using it aloud.

Again the color returned to Katara's face. Why did it bother her, him using her name like that? She'd been mad at him earlier, calling her girl but somehow hearing her name was different.

"…why are you traveling with the Avatar?" he asked. It was a stupid question, irrelevant, and he knew it. He wanted to know, though, how she and the other boy had gotten caught up in the insanity.

Katara hmphed. "He came to our village not knowing about the war and you found him there. We didn't want to just let him go like that. I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you."

Zuko remembered. He had found the Avatar in the run down village. He'd taken the monk captive and he'd escaped along with Katara and the Water Tribe warrior. His free hand clenched, bringing back memories of Zhou and his taunting on the damage to the ship that the Avatar had left upon escaping.

"Who's the boy?" Zuko prodded, "your brother?"

Katara paused. How could he know that? "Yes, he is. Why do you care anyway?"

"I don't." That was the dumbest excuse Katara had ever heard. It almost sounded like something Sokka would say. He always gave her short answers or changed the subject like that when she caught him in a tight spot. In a tight spot? The prince of the Fire Nation, Prince Zuko, in a tight spot? Hah, that's almost funny.

Zuko had to admit to himself it had been mostly a wild guess. Something about them was similar though. It was their eyes, he decided. He'd seen that look of fury and determination in the boy back when they'd first seen each other in the South Pole. He'd seen the same look from Katara multiple times in the last few hours.

"Then I guess that means I'm allowed a question too? Who's the man you're always with? He's not your father so your grandfather, maybe?" Katara remembered the old man from the river who'd been with Zuko. He didn't look like much of a fighter; Katara wondered why Zuko kept him around except for possibly being family.

Zuko tried so hard to stifle the laughter but without his control it all burst forth. As much as he wanted to be cold around this girl he couldn't help himself. He wanted to be emotionless and show nothing to her except contempt. He couldn't stop though. It really wasn't all that funny but something about the notion of Uncle Iroh being his father's father forced out a good round of laughter from him.

As Zuko clutched his sides Katara blinked in bewilderment. She didn't think it was such a strange question but, then again, how could she know?

Finally calming himself, Zuko gave the thing closest to a smile Katara had ever seen from him before and replied, "He's my uncle." Such a simple answer for such a reaction, this young man was crazy; Katara was sure of it, or maybe bi-polar. Katara shook her head, setting it aside. She'd never understood firebenders before so why would she expect to now?

As they rounded another corner the tunnel seemed to come to and end. Great, Katara mused, a dead end. "It's a dead end," she pointed out to him aloud. She stared to turn back around the corner but stopped when Zuko stayed rooted to the spot, staring at the tunnel.

"It's not a dead end." He said simply. As he said it, Katara saw what he was looking at. At the end of the passage was a large round block that appeared almost to be a giant medallion. The stone was firmly rooted to the wall around it and intricate designs wove around the surface and onto the holding sides. "Do you think you could get water between the middle and the walls?" Zuko asked hopefully, giving the waterbender a sideways glance.

Katara nodded. "I think so," she confirmed.

"Go ahead." Cooperating, Katara popped open the flask of water at her waist and led a small trail of water forth. She gently pushed the water into the miniscule space between medallion and wall. With that accomplished she took a deep breath and let it all out, making a motion as if pushing her breath to the water. Instantly, the ice began to form around the edges. Once it was fully covered and frozen tight Katara looked to Zuko.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" Zuko didn't offer an explanation but simply took fighting stance, squaring off his shoulders with the wall. He pulled back the hand in which he held the make-shift torch and let it fly forward in one swift motion. From that hand, similar to before, a long trail of fire shot forth. It pierced through the center of the rock and the very center began to glow with the heat. Also because of the fire, the edges of Katara's ice began to trickle away.

"Keep it frozen." Zuko ordered. Katara wasn't quite sure what was going on but figured any idea he had was better than anything. She obeyed and kept the ice frozen as it threatened to return to liquid.

Just as Zuko had hoped a small crack began to form at the top of the bolder between fire and ice. His mouth began to turn up at the edges with anticipation. At once the crack grew and spanned the entire boulder. A small tributary to the original sped off to the left side and reached its destination as well.

"Let go!" Zuko commanded. Katara did as she was told and Zuko pulled back as well. After a few seconds of silence the boulder gave an earsplitting groan and the three jagged portions fell to the ground, clattering together and booming on the ground.

Both firebender and waterbender were greeted again with a blackness that could only equal death.

"Well it's not an exit," Katara determined. Zuko sneered.

"No kidding." Katara stepped in first and gasped as the light of Zuko's fire, which had presently returned alongside that of the still fading torch, glowed along the contents of the room.

"It's a tomb."

Well there you have it, another chapter completed. As usual, please note any OCC-ness. Send me a review if you notice problems or just want to give an opinion. Encouragement is nice too! I could be evillike some people I know and say "I won'tupdate until I get such-and-such # of reviews" but, oh, no, I'm too nice for that. So be nice back and leave me some substance people!

SpecialThanks:

Reviews: Rebirth of the Phoenix and storm-of-insanity

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Replys:

Rebirth of the Phoenix--Thanks sooo much for your continued support1 I really 'preciate it! I'm glad they don't seem too trusting, that was the one thing I ws afraid of in writing this but it seems to be working out alright.

A big thanks to all who read but mostly to all who've read and reviewed. Love all of you!

Lynnia