Natasha Beningfield

"Unwritten"


Luke was gently pushed into a lit room by Troy, who glared at him softly, "I saw you with my sister." He said quietly.

Luke gulped. "Troy I can explain—"

Troy held a hand up, "No, don't," he smiled, "I'd much rather it be you than that Zuko."

Luke smiled but suddenly frowned, "Zuko?"

Troy blinked, "Duh. Man, I thought it was obvious, either I was wrong or you are extremely daft." When Luke only blinked he sighed, "Haven't you sent he way he looks at her? With those greedy eyes of his? How he practically undresses her with his eyes?"

Luke was shocked, "That's impossible, Zuko's doesn't have enough heart to even remotely like anyone."

Troy shook his head, "I don't think he likes her," Luke sighed with relief, "I think he loves her."

Luke choked, "What?" he was stunned.

But now that he thought about it, he remembered the look on the Prince's face when he had knocked her to the ground, he remembered the way he had looked at the ship…and the crew, how could he be so stupid. Something was going on that they weren't telling him. He remembered how, on the pirate ship, they had all been looking out the window, except him. He remembered how their faces had been awkward as they looked back at him. They had seen something, and they knew he liked her.

With a sickening thought he thought of all those times he had gone onto the deck to see the crew whispering softly after Alex herself had been up there with Zuko only moments before. He remembered leaving her to go into town with Zuko, staying on the ship with Zuko…

He collapsed on a stool, not daring to believe it. He told Troy what he was thinking and Troy almost freaked out.

"She can't actually want to go along with this?" he was outraged, "He must be forcing her."

Luke hesitated then said the one thing the entire crew had uneasily kept away from Alex's brother, "And Troy, for a week—for a week she slept in his room."

"WHAT!" Troy exploded. Luke told him she hadn't been in the same bed but Troy wouldn't listen, insisting that Zuko had been seducing his poor sister. But Luke wasn't so sure.

Maybe, maybe she had only gone along with his kisses because she was playing with him. But she didn't seem like that. Maybe she felt sorry for him, because of course she would fall for the prince.

It was then they hatched a plan.


The next morning Alex groaned sleepily and adjusted her head on Zuko's chest.

Her eyes flew open. Where was her head?

She tilted her head and saw Zuko sleeping peacefully underneath her.

She blinked, what had happened? She had been kissing him, then they had fallen asleep. That's all.

Her stomach flopped. That's all? If they were found like this—if Luke found her like this, he would be heartbroken.

She climbed out of the bed quickly, trying to clear her head as she put on her armor like she was supposed to do each and every day. This wasn't her fault, right? He had jumped her…but she hadn't fought back.

Ok, she thought to herself as she swept her hair back, that was the last time. It'll never happen again. He's crazy, insanely mental.

She turned and looked at his sleeping figure, she thought about waking him up but stopped. She didn't want to face him, not now.

Sighing, she exited the room.


She was found later talking up-deck with Iroh. Luke and Troy exchanged looks before approaching them.

Alex turned and smiled at them, and they could see her armor now bore the row of gold frames across the chest of her armor to mark her as a captain. "Hello there, we were just discussing a brief stop."

"We just stopped," it was Zuko; he was standing next to Luke now. He looked at Alex but she only looked at him with that professional look she reserved for duty.

"That may be, but you forget your highness, that was almost two weeks ago. And besides, this is a special occasion." She smiled at Luke and Troy, "There is a celebration in the city of Nirobia. If you didn't already know, Nirobia is a no man's land, everyone is welcome there, even though technically it is ruled by the earth kingdom's Lord Dang. There's a celebration tonight in honor of Lady Keldary's seventeenth birthday." She laughed, "She personally sent General Iroh an invitation, seeing as how he became such good friends with her father."

Zuko grumbled something to himself about betrayal but as usual no one listened.

Troy grinned, "Fantastic, Lord Dang always throws great parties for regular events; imagine what this will be like."

She smiled, "It's settled then, you should tell the crew they can free dress for this, and tell them to wash up," she added grimly.

Luke nodded and walked away. Troy smiled at her, "yes captain." Before he too turned and walked away.

Iroh left, leaving Zuko alone with Alex. She was standing at the bow, writing a letter, Watcher standing nearby, preparing to leave with her message.

Josh,

Please don't fret; I've sorted things out now. Everything is fine, perfectly fine. I hope Tina is fairing well and that you are too, I've got a bit of a surprise for you when I see you. I miss you Josh, ever so much each passing day.

With all my love,

Alex

She sent the note off with Watcher, watching him leave swiftly over the ocean and disappear into the trees that lined their path now.

She gasped back a sob and turned around, giving a cry at seeing Zuko standing there. She bowed her head, "You highness," she said dryly.

He returned her bow, "I wished to have a moment alone with the captain,"

"I believe you've had enough of that," she said in her low, menacing tone.

He glared at her, "You could have stopped me."

She walked up to him quickly and angrily, until she was standing right against him, "You ambushed me. What was I supposed to do? You frightened the hell out of me, you took advantage of me!"

He gaped at her, "I only kissed you!" he hissed quietly.

She continued to glare at him, "Maybe, but that's not all you were thinking about doing." She stood back, "stay away from me, I mean it." She took a deep breath, "I never want to speak to you again, outside of my duties."

She walked past him, not giving him a backward glance.

When they walked down the path at around one in the afternoon, the entire crew was laughing and having a great time. They were welcomed into the celebration eagerly.

As the crew ran off to have fun Alex remained with Iroh and Zuko as she had been requested to do.

Iroh greeted his old friend warmly, "It has been too long my friend," he turned to Alex and Zuko, who were standing tall with their hands behind their back, "I would like to introduce you to my nephew, Prince Zuko," the lord smiled and bowed his head.

Iroh looked at Alex, he had noticed the curious looks his friend was giving her, "And this is my best fighter. Lord Dang, please meet Captain Alexa."

The old lord looked startled at her title, but warmly shook her head, "You must meet my daughter, she's around here somewhere, I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

Iroh and Lord Dang walked away, leaving Zuko with Alex again. She turned to go and bumped into him. Startled, he muttered an apology and she walked away silently. He turned after a few seconds and watched her retreating back, with her long black hair swishing behind her. He tried to clear his mind and walked away.


Tina and Josh walked into the festival easily because they were from the Earth Kingdom. They marveled at the sight. Tina turned to Josh, "Some party eh?"

He smiled and watched Tina disappear into the crowd. When she had gone he eagerly unfolded the note that lay hidden in his hand. He read Alex's brief note twice, feeling his stomach leap for joy at her words. She missed him, she really did.

He sighed and pushed the paper back into his pocket. He would write a reply and use a town bird later.


Alex was walking alongside the group of dancing people – and marveling at how they listened to the same music she did at home – when she saw a young woman crying on the sidelines.

Startled, she sat beside her, "what's wrong?"

The woman looked at her, "OH, it's just too much for me."

"What is? Maybe I can help?"

The young woman wiped her eyes with a napkin, "it's just, up until recently I loved this man, the man I was engaged to. I love him, I really do. But he's too fierce with me. He gets angry when I speak to another man, he sometimes hurts me when we fight…and I always looked past that and to his good side, which he only showed at points when we were only, and very rarely and briefly. But recently I met a man, a commoner, who I feel so close to. I love him also, and he truly loves me. Not my title, my money…but me. I know I have to choose, but I just can't."

Alex bit her lip, "you should follow your heart. But I would go with the commoner myself."

She gave a small laugh, "I wouldn't dare speak to my father about it. I know he would agree, but I'm too timid to do such a thing." She looked at Alex, "Thank you for listening though. I'm Lady Kelderly by the way."

Alex laughed, "Actually, your father wanted me to meet you, I'm captain Alexa of general Iroh's fleet. But call me Alex."

The girl's eyes widened, "Captain?"

They talked for a while on this subject before each girl parted ways.

It was when she was passing the slightly heightened stage when the spotlight shone on her.

"Ladies and gentlemen." One of the band members said. Everyone stopped and looked at either him or her, "I've been told that this lovely lady's got a voice worth hearing. How about it?"

There was an eruption of cheering and Alex sheepishly climbed onto the stage, catching Luke's smug smile she glared at the traitor.

She was stumped at what to sing, but she remembered Lady Kelderly and made up her mind. She smiled as the band played a slower beat, just what she needed, she took a breath and sang:

"I. am. unwritten, can't read my mind. I'm undefined." She paused as people watched her, "I'm just beginning, pen's in my hand, ending unplanned. Staring at the blank page before you, open up the dirty window, let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find. Reaching, for something in the distance, so close you could almost taste it. Release your intermissions, feel the rain on your skin!" she started to sing in a more upbeat tone as people started to clap along with her.

"No one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in. no one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips. Drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open. Today is, where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten…"

She jumped down into the crowd and walked around as the band played a filler. A female singer started to pick up where she left off, and she sang along with her.

Tina stopped and clapped along.

Josh stopped dead and looked at the girl, who was walking toward him, singing. He remembered this song, Alex had sung it at a dance before.

The fire nation girl saw him just standing there as the others danced and smiled at him, singing. She took his hands and began to dance in an up beat way as she sang along with the others.

Suddenly, just as the words, "feel the rain on your face…" came out of their mouths, soft rain began to fall from the sky.

Alex laughed as she danced with Josh, although she had no idea who he was. He didn't recognize her, and although she might have noticed him, she wasn't paying attention.

Josh was smiling, but he looked over and saw Zuko standing there, looking uncomfortable just standing alone. He stared at the prince, if he was here, that meant Alex must be nearby, on his ship.

The song ended along with the sudden rain and Alex clapped and cheered along with the others.

But before Josh could turn back to the odd girl, she had vanished.

He blinked and tried to locate her among the crowd, but when he finally found her, she was dancing with another fire nation boy (Luke). So instead, he turned to who could only be the Prince. He absently looked around him for perhaps any sign of Alex, but to no avail. He realized that she must be on his ship.

He spotted Tina and walked quickly over to her.

"We have to go," he murmured in her ear.

She looked surprised, "But why? The party just started."

He sighed, "I think I found Alex,"