Rhythm of the Rain
Chapter Twenty-One
By DamageCtrl

All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or anything related to it.


The dawn was breaking in the horizon and she sped up. Azula would be leaving on the first trade vessel heading to the Earth Kingdom that morning and she had to go with her. Fingers gloved in black silk gloves tightened around the thick dark Fire Nation robe around her shoulders as she darted through the alleys behind the tall ice buildings on her way to the docks.

Her heart was racing. She had never done anything so reckless in her life. Reckless was not her. She was precise. On target. Reckless with Ty Lee with daring flips and a passionate heart any Fire Nation noble could be proud of. But it wasn't her. The small weapons she had accepted from her 'friend' were tucked into little pockets cut into her gloves. At any give point and time, she could send one flying.

That is, if she had been paying attention.

Lost in her adrenaline filled daze, her heart hammering inside her chest as her mind struggled to process what she was doing; she slid around a corner and ran into a firm body. Her first instinct was to lash out and cut the obstacle. The blade of a knife was already pressed against her calloused hands. Gray eyes rose and met a warm, sheepish smile.

"Hey, I'm really sorry, I didn't see you," he said as he bowed his head. The male earthbender that was friends with the waterbender. What as his name? She had heard it when he had joined that for a midday meal the day they arrived. Hana? Horu? Haru! He straightened up and lifted his gaze. Amber eyes widened. "Oh! My lady, I'm sorry!" He gasped as he suddenly realized who she was. He immediately bowed his head once more and began mumbling out apologies.

Mai narrowed her eyes. He recognized her. That was not good. She lifted her head back towards the palace and the sky above it. The dark sky was melting. She didn't have time to silence him; she had to get to the docks. "Its fine," she stated sternly in a deadpan voice. "No harm done." She tucked the blade back into her glove and began to walk around him swiftly.

"Wait, Lady Mai," Haru called her. She cringed at the title. He really did know who she was. She began to debate whether or not she should silence him there and cover her tracks...at least she wanted to believe that her hesitation was caused by that. "You should be careful. Something happened this morning at the palace and I heard there could be a criminal loose!"

Her back was facing him and he couldn't see her surprised expression. So, it had already spread through the city. Her shoulders stiffened. "I'm sure it's fine. I'm just going to a little walk." she lied.

The young man seemed genuinely concerned for her safety. "Still, Lady Mai, I'm sure it would be better if you returned to the palace. I heard that Chief Arnook was found dead earlier this morning. Whoever was after him might be after the other visiting royalty, as well. I'm sure Fire Lord Zuko would feel better if you were back in the palace."

Her hands clenched tightly at her sides. That whelp had the audacity to treat her like a helpless little girl? Did he know who she was and what she could do? And how dare he mention Zuko's title as if he knew the man. As if Zuko cared about her. Mai's gray eyes narrowed into steely slits. She turned around and glared at him.

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Mai said in a low voice. "And Fire Lord Zuko will not miss me, I assure you." He obviously hadn't heard the other thing; Zuko had been arrested.

"Of course he will," Haru told her, as if completely sure of his answer. "He's your fiancé. He cares about you."

She wanted to laugh. Mai's eyes narrowed. "Our engagement," she continued coolly. "Is one of convenience? It has nothing to do with 'caring'. Peasants like you would not understand that."

"From what I've heard of the Fire Lord, I'm sure he's much more-"

"Do you think you know more about my fiancée than I?" Mai hissed. "I'll have you know, I know exactly what kind of man he is." She couldn't hold back the fresh bitterness despite her efforts. Haru jerked his head back.

His eyes lowered and he looked at his gloved hands nervously. "Lady Mai, it's dangerous out here," he stated nervously. "I may not be much help, but I will gladly walk you back to the palace. There could be a murderer somewhere out here. Katara and the others have helped me so much, the least I can do is help-"

"I didn't ask for your help!" Mai retorted, disgusted at his aimless blabbering. Katara... He mentioned her name and Mai snorted. She had seen the earthbender close to Katara and suddenly, she wanted to slit the boy in two.

Haru looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "For what it's worth, I understand how you feel," Haru offered as he backed away slowly. "With Katara and Zuko...You're a pretty strong woman to be able to love her country so much to do what you're doing. I couldn't be with her...she...she doesn't love me..."

Mai's eyes widened slightly. "What are you talking about?" she asked, trying to sound bored.

"Nothing!" Haru insisted as he continued to back away. "Never mind." He bowed his head once more and darted around the corner. Mai frowned and glanced up at the sky. The sun was starting to be seen and she scowled. Turning sharply on her heel, Mai made a mad dash for the docks.

Three stories above where Haru and Mai had collided, leaning by the wall of a partially opened window, a young man chewed on a piece of hay and rubbed his chin. His eyes darted to the table where an old wooden time piece was placed. He pushed himself from the wall and grabbed his coat as he headed for the door. On behalf of the young woman who changed his life, he had some investigating to do.


"I'm here!" Katara skidded to a stop in the ice walled room and promptly began tugging off her warm blue gloves.

"Katara," Yugoda said as she waved the young woman over. There were several other women, all waterbending healers, hovering over the Chief as he lay in an ice formed tub filled to the brim with water. His face was not submerged and was being held above water by a wooden brace in order for him to breathe. Each woman was elbow deep in water, holding their hands over the burnt flesh as the water glowed and slowly rejuvenated the injured body. "Quickly, help me with his upper body. Whatever burned him was powerful."

Obediently, Katara tugged off her parka and tossed it aside as she crossed the room. Her eyes widened as she finally saw the damage Chief Arnook's body was in. His skin was more than just badly burned. He had looked as if he had nearly been cooked. In parts of his body where cloth has been nearly melted on to his flesh, Katara couldn't describe without wanting to throw up. But she was a healer, as well as a warrior, and this was her battlefield, as well. Ignoring the gruesome sight before her, she stood across from Yugoda and slid her hands into the warm water. Within seconds, the water around her hands was glowing with a soft bluish-white hue as she ran her hand over his stomach.

She'd never seen anyone so burnt before. The damage was intense, but as he wasn't dead, it couldn't have been applied for a long time. Her eyes narrowed. In all her time rushing to the palace, she neglected to ask what exactly had happened. Katara shook her head. Before she could dwell on the topic, she had to finish the task at hand. A man's life was in danger and, if the dark feeling inside her stomach was correct, the assailant was of the Fire Nation, they would need him alive and well to tell them who was the monster that did this to him.


In the steel lined prison, Zuko paced the small space dangerously. His face was set in a deep scowl and his jaw was locked. Golden eyes were narrowed into angry slits as his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. From behind the iron bars, Iroh sat on a chair, watching his nephew worriedly. Zuko resembled nothing less than a caged wild cat plotting the death of his captors.

The old general had been awoken abruptly by frantic knocks on his door. When he opened it, he found Katara's grandmother with a deep set frown on her face. "Iroh, we have a problem." she stated bluntly.

She spoke quickly and to the point. Chief Arnook had been found a few hours earlier, nearly burned alive in his chambers. His wife had found him and called for the guards. A dozen Water Tribe Warriors had rushed to the scene. One had scrambled to get Yugoda; that was how Kana found out. Upon inspecting the room, they realized that nothing else was on fire. In fact, the flames in the fire pit were nothing but glowing embers.

They came to the conclusion that someone must've set the Chief on fire. And as no one in the Water Tribe had that power, it came down to the most likely suspects: Fire Nation guests. The men on Zuko's ship hadn't come into the city that night and the warriors stationed on the inner wall said that no one had left the ship. Mai and Ty Lee were not firebenders. That left the Fire Lord and the Dragon on the West. Iroh had been dismissed as during the approximate time Arnook had been attacked, he was singing a rendition of his Four Seasons, Four Loves with a tipsy Pakku.

Meaning the only firebender that could've done it was Zuko. He had not been at the celebration...and no one knew where he had been. Iroh watched as Zuko lifted his hand and rubbed his forehead. "Uncle...explain to me again...what the hell is going on." It was not a request. It was a demand. He was still trying to make sense of everything despite hearing the story several times from guards as well as his Uncle.

Iroh inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. "Chief Arnook was found nearly dead from severe fire burns several hours ago," Iroh explained once more. "Nothing else in the room showed signs of fire damage. You know what that means."

"Chief Arnook could have just caught on fire," Zuko frowned. "He could've just walked too close to the fire pit and his clothes might've caught on fire."

"In a room made of ice and decorated with pools of water, do you think that he might've actually allowed it to nearly burn him alive?" Iroh asked. Zuko gritted his teeth. His Uncle had a point. Had it been an accident, he could've easily dived into the nearest body of water. Each room had a fire pit and a pool of water. Even the guest rooms. "He would have had time to stop it. Both you and I know fire doesn't burn through animal pelt so quick that it would've nearly consumed him in seconds."

"But it couldn't have been a firebender!" Zuko insisted as he rushed forward and grabbed the cold bars. "The only firebenders here are you, me, and five men of my crew! And the crewmen haven't left the ship!"

"They have already taken that into consideration and verified it," Iroh added. "So it came down to either you or me."

Zuko frowned and locked eyes with his elderly Uncle. "You sound as if you believe them," he accused in a low voice. "That is was a firebender."

Iroh narrowed his eyes. He knew it was a firebender. And he had a suspicion as to who it could be. However, he didn't want to reveal it until he was positive that it was who he feared. "I was in the celebration during the time Chief Arnook was supposedly burned. When his wife had followed him to bed, it was about 2 hours after he had left. During that time, I was still in the celebration. That is why they did not accuse me. Witness can vouch for me."

"So why me?" Zuko frowned. "Uncle, you know I didn't do it! I had retired early last night!"

"Yes," Iroh said slowly. "But did you stay in your room the entire time?" Zuko froze. His Uncle's knowing eyes looked up and down his clothes. "You do not seem to be wearing sleeping attire, nephew," he stated. Zuko closed his eyes and turned his head away. "Where were you last night?"

Zuko's hand tightened around the metal bars he was holding. His chest rose and fell deeply as he mentally debated if he should admit to his tryst the night before. On one hand, he was innocent. On the other, he was also guilty of something else. "I wasn't me..." Zuko pushed himself away from the bars and stalked back into his cell, his arms crossed over his chest as he turned his back to his Uncle.

"I know," Iroh told him, completely convinced. "Because I know who you were with last night."

His nephew's shoulders stiffened immediately. Zuko stopped in mid step, his entire body unable to move at his Uncle's words. How did he know? He was at the celebration the entire night! Surely, he couldn't have seen me with... His face began to burn, unsure whether to be humiliated or disturbed at the possibility that his Uncle saw them.

"You have strands of brown hair on your clothes," Iroh told him casually. "And grass stains on your pants. And there is only one place that has grass. Not to mention that I did see my favorite ambassador heading towards there several hours into the celebration."

Zuko let out a breath of relief. So Iroh hadn't seen him. He just saw the clues and put it together. Zuko turned around and looked at his Uncle. "We had a little...sparring session."

"Really?" Iroh asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. Is that all? That mark at the base of your neck says otherwise... "And how did the sparring session go?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Zuko brushed it off. "I was, however, able to show her the blue lightning I've been able to summon recently." He sounded reminiscent of a little boy showing the girl he liked how he could climb a tree really fast in order to impress her. Only this was much more dangerous.

Iroh immediately frowned. "Zuko, I told you not to use lightning so freely until you have proper control over it."

"It wasn't much," Zuko stated. "It was just a little spark, nothing strong."

"And how did she take it?" Iroh asked.

"She blocked it with ice. The lightning hit the ice, shattered it, and then she bended the shattered ice into snow," Zuko told him. "Apparently, she's been preparing incase Azula somehow comes back into the picture." Zuko frowned.

Iroh stiffened in his seat at the sound of the young woman's name. His eyes narrowed. But how could she have gotten there if no other ship from the Fire Nation had arrived. He had checked Zuko's ship himself from top to bottom every night since he heard Mai's confession. Unless she arrived earlier... His eyes closed, unable to believe that he had forgotten such a crucial thing.

"Uncle," Zuko's voice cut through his thoughts and Iroh slowly lifted his head up. Zuko was staring at him and scowling. "Uncle, are you listening to me?"

"Ah...I'm sorry, Zuko. I was lost in some thoughts," the old general stated innocently. "What were you saying?"

"I can't use my alibi. I can't tell them that I was with Katara last night." he stated, determinedly. Iroh frowned.

"And why not?" Iroh pressed. "I'm sure Katara will be glad to-"

"We are not supposed to have contact!" Zuko shouted suddenly. Iroh pulled his head back slightly and looked at his nephew curiously. "Are you forgetting that I am engaged to Mai?"

"But what are a few innocent moments with an old friend?" Iroh told him reassuringly. He wasn't asking the boy to confess to the entire Water Tribe, which had rather strict rules of courtship and marriage and undoubtedly sex, that he had done things with the most powerful and well respected woman in their Tribe.

Zuko shook his head. "No...No, Mai would be devastated if she found out. I can't let her find out..." Zuko lowered his head and stared at the ground. "Not like this..."

Iroh closed his eyes. 'Sparring' wasn't the only thing the two had been doing. He should've known as much. Two teenagers, painfully in love...torn by country and beliefs. They had one night together that no one would've known about...how could they not? Zuko...what a mess...

The young Fire Lord slowly walked to the frost covered metal bench to one side of his steel prison and sat down on it. His shoulders slumped forward and he closed his eyes. "Uncle...I need some time to think..." Zuko stated. "Please go and see to Mai and Ty Lee."

Iroh took the hint. He stood up slowly and gave a small bow to the imprisoned monarch. "I will return soon, Fire Lord Zuko." The young man inside the cell nodded silently. Iroh looked at him one last time, barely able to hold back the pain he felt for the young man he saw as his own son. Things were never easy for the boy...struggle for his honor, struggle for his throne, struggle for his love and life. Quietly, Iroh descended up the flight of steps to the ground floor.

"How is he?" a reluctant voice asked as he stepped outside. He saw the Avatar standing a few paces from the guarded entrance to the detainment cell.

Iroh shook his head. "I am not sure...but he is taking it rather calmly. I'm glad to see he is not doing anything to make his situation even worse."

"Is there anything I can do?" Aang asked. "I know Zuko didn't do it."

"I know," Iroh nodded. "But unless you can verify where he was during the time Chief Arnook was ambushed, I am afraid there is not much you can do, young Aang."

To his slight surprise, the bald monk blushed and quickly diverted his eyes. "Actually..." he trailed off as Iroh reached him."I saw his...um...belt in the Oasis last night when we were...er...looking for Katara."

Iroh resisted the urge to smile at the embarrassed monk. He only hoped the belt was the only thing the boy had seen. "Even though he has an alibi, he does not want to reveal it."

"Why not?" Aang asked, straightening up. "That would get him out of jail!"

"But it would devastate his fiancée when she found out," Iroh told him. "Zuko, even though he has dishonored her by being with someone else, will not continue to dishonor her if he can."

"Oh..." Aang looked down once more.

"How is Chief Arnook?" Iroh asked. They began walking towards the palace. "Kana told me that he was still breathing when they got to him."

"Yugoda is healing him right now with some of the best healers in the city. Sokka and Suki went to get Katara so she could help." Aang explained.

"I see..." the retired general mused."I truly hope that they succeed in reviving him."

"I know," Aang agreed. "Then he can tell people what happened and Zuko won't be accused of attempted murder."

Iroh nodded. "And he can tell us exactly who did it," the old man stated as they entered the palace. And confirm my suspicions.

"Are you heading to see Chief Arnook?" Aang asked. Iroh shook his head.

"No," the old man told him. "Zuko asked me to go see Mai and Ty Lee and make sure they are okay."

"I see," Aang nodded. "I'm going to go see if there is anything I can do to help the Chief." Iroh nodded and the young Avatar headed down a different hall.

Iroh slowly began to make his way to the guest hall, where his room, as well as Zuko's, Mai's, and Ty Lee's were located. As he turned the first corner, he heard rapidly approaching footsteps. As he turned, he saw a confused and worried looking acrobat running down the hall. As soon as she saw him, her head perked up and she ran forward.

"General Iroh! General Iroh!" Ty Lee gasped. She was still in her sleep wear; her sleeping pants were tucked into some snow boots and a thick pink jacket as on her shoulders. She seemed jumpy.

"I take it you've heard," Iroh frowned sadly. "It is okay, Ty Lee. Zuko is fine-"

"No, it's not that!" Ty Lee gasped as she shook her head. "General Iroh, I went into Mai's room when I woke up to check on her and she's not there!"

Iroh felt his blood freeze in his veins. His voice became serious. "What do you mean? Perhaps she went to eat breakfast?"

"No," Ty Lee shook her head frantically. "No, she never goes to breakfast without me! I even went to check there and she wasn't there. No one has seen her! I checked her bathroom and everything!"

The old man narrowed his eyes. "We should check her room again." he asserted. Ty Lee merely nodded and followed the man to her friend's room. They opened the door and rushed inside.

Ty Lee bounded into the room and looked around. Mai's bed was made abruptly. Her clothes were all still in her luggage. It didn't seem like she had changed into her sleeping wear that night. "When I first came in here, the window as open. The fire pit looked like it had been doused off earlier. And Mai's stuff is still here, see?" She said as she pointed to the Fire Nation insignia branded trunk that had been carried into the room.

Iroh frowned. Something wasn't right. He walked to the trunk and opened it up. As expected, her traveling clothes were gone. He turned around and scanned the room. A small lacquered wooden box rested on the table by the bed. As Ty Lee searched the adjoining bathroom once more, Iroh walked over to the table. Carefully, he picked up the glossy dark red and brown box and opened it up.

His nose picked up the slight scent of iron. He stared down at the carefully pressed niches in the box. Knives. Blades. Needles. But Mai's weapons had been confiscated and destroyed. "Ty Lee, did Mai have another set of weapons?"

The young acrobat came out of the bathroom and shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. She had never paid much attention to that. She walked closer to the old man and looked at the box. "Is that a jewelry box? I have one, too, that looks just like that. Azula gave it to me for my birthday one year."

His heart nearly stopped. This confirmed everything. Azula...you really are here...

"General Iroh?" Ty Lee asked curiously. "General Iroh, are you okay?"

"Ty Lee," Iroh said. "We must tell Zuko immediately."

It took the young acrobat a moment to realize exactly what he was saying. Her eyes widened and she stumbled back a step. "I can't! I promised Mai I wouldn't say anything!"

"He has been arrested for attempted murder," Iroh told her sternly. "Chief Arnook was found nearly burned alive this early this morning." Ty Lee's face paled and her eyes welded up with tears. Azula had made good on her word. She had returned. The suddenly reality hit her and Ty Lee shook her head with disbelief. However, with the box in his hands, her missing friend, and the sudden attack on an innocent man...she already knew that what General Iroh was pointing to was true.

Azula had returned.


It had been hours. Katara wasn't sure how many exactly, but she could feel the toll that non-stop healing was taking on her body. The other women had slowly begun taking rests and alternating, if only to keep up their strength. Arnook was still unconscious, but much of his skin had been healed over. In truth, Katara didn't know that was even possible considering how it had looked like when she arrived. But then again, these women had dedicated their lives to healing. They had much skill.

"Katara," Yugoda's calming voice said softly. The young woman merely lifted up her eyebrows to acknowledge her elder as she kept her eyes and focus on her task at hand. "Katara, you should rest."

"I'm fine, Yugoda," Katara insisted as she blinked and tried to keep her eyes focused. "I can do this."

"I know you can, Katara, but you have been standing and healing for several hours now," the old woman insisted. "You need to rest."

"Yugoda, I'm fine."

"Katara, listen to me," the elder woman said as she put her wrinkled dark hand on Katara's shoulder. "You may have shunned away from healing at first; wanting to learn to fight instead. But you have to realize that healing is in a way like fighting. A lot of energy is exerted and that can drain a person, even the most advanced healer. And like in battle, you have to rest or else you will be far too fatigued to continue."

Katara's eyes closed. She knew her former teacher was right and she nodded her head understandingly. Reluctantly, she drew her hands out of the water and stepped back from the tub. Yugoda handed her a towel and lead her to one of the chairs by the wall.

"Yugoda," Katara said softly as she took her seat. "Will he make it?"

The old woman nodded slowly. She looked back at the pool where several women were continuing their work, slowly healing the most critically burned areas with dedication. "His breathing has eased," Yugoda said quietly. "His heart beat as stabilized. I think he will make it."

Katara closed her eyes and let out a brief of relief. "I'm glad..." she whispered. She looked up tiredly. "What happened to him?"

Yugoda seemed hesitant to reply. The old woman diverted her eyes. Perhaps it would've been easier to explain the alleged activities to Katara had she not know the young woman's connections to the Fire Nation. "Chief Arnook was attacked by a..." she released a deep breath and met Katara's eyes with sad ones."Firebender."

Blue eyes went wide as Katara shot up from her seat. "What? No, that's impossible! Iroh and Zuko would never-"

"Katara, calm down," Yugoda said as she raised her hands and gently placed them on the young woman's shoulders. She carefully pushed Katara back into her seat and shook her head. "It had to be a firebender Katara. Someone powerful that could incinerate a man in seconds. Chief Arnook's burns are no accident."

Still, Katara refused to believe it. Iroh would never do such a thing. And Zuko wouldn't do anything to the Water Tribe, she knew he wouldn't. Tears rimmed her eyes as she shook her head wildly. "No, they couldn't have done it." she insisted.

"We want to believe that, Katara, we really do," Yugoda told her. "But until Chief Arnook wakes up and can speak, there is no way for us to believe otherwise."

Katara's eyes narrowed. Her hands gripped the cloth of her pants. "Where are they? Iroh and Zuko. Where are they?" she demanded.

Yugoda shook her head. "I do not know," she answered truthfully. "As soon as we were told of Chief Arnook's situation, we have been here and have not heard about has happened to them."

Katara stood up. "I need to find them."

"Katara..." Yugoda wanted her to stay. Her eyes slowly drifted back to the tub of water where the women were still hunched over and trying desperately to heal him. Katara was needed among them for now.

The young woman followed Yugoda's gaze. She understood the severity of the situation. Katara bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. "I will heal Chief Arnook as much as I can first." she said in a low voice. The man was fighting for his life. She could not ignore that despite the pressure building in her chest.

Yugoda gave her a thankful nod. "Rest a few more moments before returning to the healing," she said as Katara sat back down. Yugoda smiled sadly at the young woman and reached out, stroking some of Katara's stray locks from her face. "I will send someone to ask about your Fire Lord."


He had been lost in thought since the moment his Uncle left. He wasn't concerned about him being arrested. As soon as the Chief was healed and could talk, he could clarify that it wasn't Zuko who had attacked him. What the Fire Lord was concerned about was Mai and Katara. While Katara could easily come forward and reveal that the night before, they had been together, Zuko did not want Mai to find out.

Not through someone other than him. She deserved the truth from his lips and his lips alone. Even if it hurt her, he would be a man and tell her what had happened. It would be disrespectful otherwise...and he had already done enough to disrespect her. His hands rose and rubbed his temples, feeling another head ache coming on. He had started getting them after Katara left and partially wondered if it was caused by the strain of her leaving him.

Noise echoed through the area. The young Fire Lord heard voices from the top of the stair well and stood up on instinct to see who it was. A shadow fell over his cell as Iroh came down the stairs, a frown across his face.

"Uncle, where is Mai?" Zuko asked as he rushed to the front of the cell. "I need to speak to her immediately!" Iroh looked reluctant to tell him and he knew it wasn't good news. Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Uncle..." His voice deepened. "What's going on?"

The retired general lifted his head and met his nephew's gaze. "I'm afraid you can't see Mai." Iroh stated.

Zuko frowned more so. "Why not." he hissed in a low voice.

"Because..." a quiet voice said behind the rotund general. A smaller body stepped out from behind him and Zuko's eyes widened. Ty Lee, the perpetually smiling acrobat, carried a look of dread on her face. "We can't find her."

His hands gripped the bars tightly. "What do you mean, you can't find her?" he growled.

"Zuko," Iroh said calmly. "We checked her room and have spent the last few hours going through the palace looking for her. No one has seen her."

He didn't like this. Something was wrong. "Where did she go."

"We're not sure-"

"Uncle, tell me where she went!" Zuko yelled. The guards from the ground floor heard the noise and came down a few steps, weapons ready. Iroh held up his hand and shook his head to dismiss them.

"Zuko, we do not know where she has gone. All we know is that she is no longer in the palace-"

"Mai is not a spontaneous girl," Zuko stated. "She wouldn't just get up and leave without saying a word to anyone. And especially without even taking Ty Lee with her!"

At that, the pink clad acrobat's head hung low. He was right. They had left her behind. She didn't understand why. Why had she suddenly been left behind? It had always been the three of them. Her, Azula, and Mai. Suddenly, it was just Azula and Mai...and she was left behind. Without so much an invitation or even a good-bye. It hurt. "Zuko!" Iroh's voice cut through the silence as he shot a disapproving glare at his nephew. He motioned his head over to Ty Lee, who was biting her lower lip pitifully. She was obviously distressed by the idea, as well.

The young Fire Lord looked over at her, noticing the pain on her usually smiling face. Her eyes were rimmed with tears and the sting of abandonment was coming from her body. His eyes softened. "Ty Lee...I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No," she said softly. "I should've told you." she stated with conviction. Iroh's eyes widened.

Zuko tilted his head to the side slightly. "Told me what?" He asked, almost suspiciously. Iroh lifted his hand and rubbed his forehead. This would not be pretty.

Ty Lee looked up, guilty. "Before we left the Fire Nation, Mai was at the market and Azula showed up-"

She didn't need to finish. At the sound of his sister's name, Zuko exploded.


"He'll regain consciousness soon," Yugoda said as she led Katara away from Chief Arnook. There were still many burns all across his body, but the majority of his skin had been restored. His breathing was now much less ragged and uneven. She had helped Yugoda with the internal damage to his injured organs. "He will have to remain in the water for some time, but he will regain consciousness. Time and his desire to live will tell us when."

Katara nodded solemnly. Her legs were a little shaky. She had been standing for another few hours and her body was completely drained. Her mind was also a little dizzy from all the energy she had been focusing on the healing.

"Come, Katara," Gran-Gran said as she met her granddaughter at the door way. "You must go to your room and rest."

"No..." Katara said weakly brushed Gran-Gran's hands away. She shook her head stubbornly. "I need to see Zuko..."

"Katara," the old woman said reluctantly. "You are too tired to see him right now. Just rest for a few minutes."

Katara shook her head. She knew that if she would return to her room now and 'rest', she would be sleeping through the next morning. And she didn't know what would happen in that amount of time. "Gran-Gran...where are Sokka and Suki? Or Aang? They'll know where he is."

The old woman's heart ached for her granddaughter. How would she take it when she found out that he had been arrested? "Katara," Gran-Gran said as they walked through the halls. "Perhaps you should sit down first."

"Gran-Gran, I'm fine," Katara lied. Each step she took made her vision blur and her world shake. But she wouldn't admit it. Not when she had another task at hand. "I just need to speak to him...and where are the others? Yugoda said one of them would come tell me when I finished."

The old woman held her granddaughter's hand steadily. It would not be the last time she sought to give the child comfort. Before Gran-Gran could open her mouth once more, Katara pulled away and stumbled forward. Her eyes were focused on the appearance of a young man standing by her door and the young woman in green beside him.

Suki straightened up and tugged Sokka's arm as she saw Katara. The warrior stood up straight and followed his fiancée's hand to his sister. "Katara!" he called out as she began to walk forward in wobbly steps. Sokka immediately rushed to her, grabbing her arm before her legs could give out from under her and send her falling to the ground. "Katara, what's wrong? Suki! Open her door and get her bed ready!"

As the green clad young woman grasped Katara's door's handle, Katara grumbled and pushed Sokka away weakly. "Where's Zuko?"

Apparently, that wasn't what her brother wanted to hear. Sokka's eyes automatically looked away and Katara knew that she wasn't going to like his answer. "Katara...you should rest."

Her eyes narrowed and the air around them grew colder. She didn't want to hear that! Everyone had been telling her that! Didn't they understand that there was something more important than 'resting'? Why was everyone trying to keep her away from him all of a sudden? Why was everyone avoiding answering her question? She knew they knew where he was!

"Sokka, answer my question! I just spent hours healing Chief Arnook; I know he was burned! I know a firebender is being blamed! And I know that Zuko is a suspect because he is one! So tell me, where is he?" Katara growled furiously as she held her ground.

Sokka's mouth opened, but nothing came out. Katara blood was boiling and she shifted her gaze to Suki. The brown haired female warrior closed her eyes and released a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you," she said softly. "But you were needed to heal Chief Arnook."

Katara felt her stomach drop with a feeling of dread. "Suki..." her voice was a hoarse whisper."Where is he?"

"Zuko's been arrested for attempted murder," Suki told her quickly. Katara's eyes widened with shock. "He's being detained," She walked forward and grabbed Katara's hand. The blue eyed waterbender looked up and saw the determination and understanding in Suki's eyes. A thought flickered through Katara's mind; Suki understood how she felt. "Come on, we're going to see him!"

Katara nodded, determination on her face as she pushed her exhaustion and throbbing head ache out of her mind as she and Suki headed down the hall. "Suki!" Sokka gasped and reached out, but Suki was already storming away with Katara trying to keep up with her. He let out a groan and was about to go after them with his grandmother stood in his way. "Gran-Gran-"

"Let her go to him," the old woman told him sternly. "I know you want to protect her, Sokka, but she was bound to know sooner or later."

"But she's tired...and drained!" he gasped out, pointing weakly down the corridor where his fiancée and little sister had disappeared down. "She needs to rest..." he trailed off.

"She can rest after she sees him for herself," Gran-Gran assured him. "Don't worry."

Sokka closed his eyes and shook his head. He was her older brother. The moment Katara had been born, he had begun to worry.


"Katara, do you need help?" Suki asked as she looked back at the younger woman holding on to her hand. The blue eyed bender shook her head, her upper body slumped down as her other hand put pressure against her head.

"I'm fine," Katara insisted. She lowered her free hand and stood up straight. "Are we almost there?"

Suki nodded and looked forward to the entryway of the detainment cell. Two Water Tribe guards stood watch on either side of the rectangular entryway. Katara frowned slightly. Had they thought that he was only dangerous enough to deserve a measly two guards? The man was the Fire Lord. Surely, her people would've posted more than two of their own to guard a suspected murderer!

In some hazy part of her mind, she wondered if Zuko would be insulted that only two guards were stationed at his prison. A small tug on her hand brought Katara out of her mental wanderings and back to the task at hand. She nodded and proceeding to continue running across the frozen ground to the entrance of the prison.

As they approached, they began to hear the furious yelling coming from inside of the cell. Before Katara could dart down the steps, Suki held her back. "What's going on?" she former Kyoshi Warrior asked the guards. She wanted to know the situation before Katara went barreling down there.

Had she not been with Katara, Suki doubted the guards would've told her anything. However, one look at the ambassador, and one guard gave the other an approving nod. "The Fire Lord is yelling at General Iroh and a young woman in pink," one of the guards reported dutifully. "We do not know about what."

Katara's eyes shifted back to the entrance. It was Zuko's voice all right. She could recognize it as if she had been listening to it her whole life. Without hesitation, she released Suki's hand and began to head down into the detainment area. As she stepped down the narrow staircase, she could make out Zuko's voice clearly.

"Azula is here?" he growled furiously. Katara's heart skipped a beat and her hand shot out to grab the ice wall beside her. "Why didn't any of you tell me?"

"Mai was afraid to tell you!" a female voice told him, sounding scared. "She made me promise not to tell anyone!"

"Then why does my Uncle know?" Zuko continued.

"I over heard them talking-"

"So why didn't you tell me?" Zuko demanded. "If I had known that Azula had met up with Mai, I would've taken her threat seriously!"

"Mai didn't now if Azula was telling the truth or not," Ty Lee added. "And then General Iroh said that no other ships from the Fire Nation were going to leave for the North Pole until the day before we left here."

"She didn't have to take a Fire Nation ship," Zuko growled. "She could've taken an Earth Kingdom vessel or maybe even sneaked aboard our own! Now we don't know where she is or where Mai is! I don't even know if she went with my sister willingly or was kidnapped!"

Ty Lee turned away, shamefully. "Mai was afraid that you would accuse her of betrayal, so she didn't want to tell you..."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "She what?" he spat out, disgusted. How could she even think that he would accuse her of such a thing? After all the time they had spent together, after all the effort he had put in trying to make her comfortable in the palace...she had feared him? He did not want the woman who would marry him to fear him.

"She had her reasons, Zuko," Iroh told him sternly. "She was afraid of loosing you. You know why." he added to make his point. Zuko's own eyes lowered.

Of course this had to be his luck. After one passionate, heaven filled night with Katara, everything had to go wrong. His fiancée feared and didn't trust him...and he supposed with good reason. His own Uncle had been hesitant to tell him something and kept the secret with Ty Lee, who he never even made out to be the kind to keep a secret. And worse yet, his sister...his perfectionist, temperamental sister, had shown up and framed him.

There was nothing else to it. The moment Azula was mentioned, it all fell into place. Zuko wasn't stupid. His sister framed him for attempted murder. And now he was behind bars, screaming his head off at his Uncle and Ty Lee, not knowing where Azula or Mai were and whether or not the two were willing together again. He let out a snort, sending steam from his nostrils. What the hell is your plan, Azula...?

In his fuming silence, he didn't notice the shadows making their way down the steps, or the hushed voice of one young woman asking the other if she needed help. Footsteps brushed against hard snow packed ground from the stairs and Iroh and Ty Lee turned.

"Katara!" Iroh gasped, his eyes widened as he rushed forward. The sound of her name forced Zuko to look up. "What happened to you?"

Zuko couldn't see her, his Uncle's body was eclipsing her figure. All he heard was the tired voice of the waterbender assuring them she was fine, just tired. Still, when his Uncle had gasped, his own heart had leapt to his throat, his mind whirling with the worst possible scenarios. Was there a fight? Was it with Azula? Had Azula hurt Katara? Agni help his whelp of a sister if she did...

"I'm fine, Iroh...really," Katara assured him as she gently moved the elder man aside. "I've just been healing for hours, I'm just tired."

As Iroh stepped aside, Katara was finally made visible in the cell. Zuko's eyes fell on her. Her clothes hadn't changed from the night before, meaning she never returned to her room to change. Her hair was loosely braided and half coming apart. Her eyes were slightly red and sunken in...She hadn't gotten any sleep. And her posture was slumped forward, tired and worn.

Katara heard shifting in front of her and looked at the shadowy cell. Zuko was pressed up against the bars, his hands gripping them so tightly, his knuckles had turned white. A worried look graced his face as his eyes seemed to search her for any sign of physical injury. She smiled slightly. Did he even realize that he had made his way to the part of the cell closest to the stairs?

For a moment, the two stood in their places, unwilling to move. This was the first time they had seen each other since he left her that morning. It was...awkward. In truth, they didn't now they would be facing each other so soon...and especially in those circumstances. What could she say to him? What could he respond back? Iroh seemed to sense the rising tension between the two in the room and eyed Ty Lee and Suki. The other two young women were watching Katara and Zuko carefully. Katara's cheeks started to turn red and Zuko's eyes finally broke away from hers.

"Suki," Iroh began as he looked at the young woman still standing on the stairs. "Ty Lee, won't you join me outside?" Zuko nearly rolled his eyes. Could Iroh be any blunter? "I'm afraid will have to have a little meeting regarding the sudden turn of events."

The two young women nodded and headed up the stairs, leaving Katara and Zuko alone on opposite sides of the bars. Even after they had left, the two remained where they were, unsure of what to say to the other after the events of the night before. She had heard his rants. Mai was gone. Possibly with his sister. A shiver ran up her spine as she remembered the Fire Nation Princess in all her blue fire fury. The clouds had been right.

Zuko studied her. So she had been healing. And who she had been healing was an easy guess. Zuko's eyes narrowed as he decided to go first. "I didn't attack Chief Arnook." It was harsh and to the point. Katara met his eyes with hers.

"I know." she whispered. She swallowed nervously, wondering if it was okay for her to approach him. She was wary of what they would do. Last night was still fresh. Zuko's eyes looked into hers and slowly dropped his defenses.

It was all right to do so, he figured. Katara had seen him at his most vulnerable point, when he knew nothing else but her...Katara would not judge him. She would not grow angry at him. He willed himself to release the bars. Katara watched his hands lowered and slipped through the spaces between the metal and reach towards her. She felt her body responding before her mind could stop her. Her finger tips brushed his hands as she wove her fingers through his. Between the spaces in the bars, she rested her head, allowing Zuko to press his lips against her hair as his arms moved around her body.

"Katara," Zuko whispered roughly, his voice edgy and lined with worry. Her hands released his as she sought to calm him by slipping her own arms through the bars trailing up his strong arms to rest around his neck. His hold on her grew stronger and she felt the hard bars press against her soft body. "Katara, she's back."

His voice was low. She raised her head and looked up at him. Deep down she knew who he was talking about yet she still silently prayed he didn't mean her. She had heard him, but she still didn't want to believe him. Not the woman who nearly killed them numerous times before. She had nearly ruined the lives of her most loyal friends. Nearly killed her brother. Katara had prayed the day she heard that the woman had disappeared that they would never cross paths again.

He felt her body tense up and silently apologized for what he was about to tell her. Holding her as close as him could without pinning her to the bars, he looked down at Katara's wide eyes. He could see her concern and horror. He suddenly didn't want to tell her.

"Azula," Katara said his sister's name, almost hesitantly. "Somehow, I knew she would come back."


The wind was cold against her pale face. Slender, gloved fingers dug into the conjoined, thick sleeves of her outer robes as she stood on deck. Her hood pressed against her face as she felt the wind pushing against the side of it. She wondered, briefly, if Katara had gone to see Zuko in prison. Her heart began to ache at the thought. Mai lowered her eyes and closed them.

Perhaps her heart ache was deserved. She had betrayed Zuko first, after all, when she hid her meeting with Azula. She didn't trust him enough to tell him. A man's life was nearly lost because of her fear of loosing him. But how could she loose him when she never had him to begin with? Gray eyes opened and stared out at the cold, deep blue water around them. Her thoughts went back to the encounter with the earthbender...he understood her, he claimed.

Azula had been annoyed with her for taking so long, even asking if she had decided to back out at the last minute. The ship had almost left without her. Still, Mai couldn't help but think about the earthbender's words and his actions. She had seen him looking at Katara in ways that Zuko had desperately tried to keep hidden. She knew he was in love with her. It wasn't fair, really. Katara had two men in love with her...Mai had no one.

But instead of trying to keep Katara for himself, the earthbender had let her go. Katara did not love him, he must've known that. Just as she knew that Zuko didn't love her. In turn, the earthbender's seemingly naive act of nobility saved him the heartbreak Mai was feeling now. She inhaled the cold air and allowed its chill to burn in her lungs.

She was now back in the shadow of a young woman she had once deemed one of her best friends. Only now, instead of the three of them, there were two. The third had been left behind without as much as a simple good-bye. Azula never even once mentioned Ty Lee in her brushes with Mai. The thought rubbed Mai the wrong way. Ty Lee had nothing but affection for Azula. Even now, Ty Lee did not want Azula to get into any more trouble than she originally was.

Not that she was any better. She left Ty Lee behind as well. But not because she didn't care for the girl. No, she had her own reasons. Slender fingers brushed along the hidden knives against her gloves. Ty Lee needn't get caught up in Azula's plans once more. Mai would protect her this time because Azula came to her first and she would see to it that Ty Lee was spared of whatever atrocities Azula had planned.

When she accepted the weapons, she was angry and bitter. Full of hate for the Fire Lord and his waterbending lover and fueled by betrayal and jealousy. But as her fingers touched the cold metal, she remembered how they had both tried to battle something beyond their control. They had tried to fight it...she hadn't done anything to fight Azula. And because of her, someone was nearly killed, her fiancée was imprisoned, and one of her best friends abandoned. She would have to redeem herself once again.

"Why the glum look?" her voice reached Mai's ears like poisonous honey. "You're finally free of that treacherous brother of mine. He's getting what he deserves."

Mai merely nodded and looked at young woman beside her. "I'm sure he is." she replied in a dull voice even as her heart twisted in her chest.

Redemption, it seemed, was never an easy path to follow.


Zuko was still in imprisoned in his cell. However, now he was there alone. Everyone else had gathered just outside the entrance of the detainment cell. Iroh was telling the others who had joined them about the sudden turn of events. Aang's eyes had widened and his grip on his glider tightened. Sokka closed his eyes and tightened his hold around Suki, as if afraid of losing her. Toph gritted her teeth, her hands turning into fists. Katara stood silently beside Ty Lee, gently keeping a comforting hand on her shoulder. The girl felt miserable and had been blaming herself and her stupidity for not telling Zuko about Azula and Mai in the first place.

Sokka's blue eyes narrowed. "So she's still here?"

"We don't know," Iroh admitted. "There is a chance she could still be here. However, the attack happened almost twelve hours ago. There is a chance that she is long gone."

"But Master Pakku sent out an order to halt all ship traffic already," Aang said. "Do you think she might've gone out there?" he asked, pointing to the sheer walls that surrounded the city.

"No, Azula is a firebender and Mai is a noble woman. They wouldn't stand a chance in the frozen wasteland beyond the city. And knowing Azula, she would find the most comfortable way out," Iroh assured them. "Are you sure no boats have left?"

"I ordered the lock down of the canals at sunrise," Pakku told them. "Once the canals were closed, there is no way for any ship in the dock to leave."

"Actually, one ship has left," a matter-of-fact voice said behind the group. Suki and Sokka looked over their shoulders and stepped back as two male figures cautiously approached the group. Jet was standing beside Haru, a frown on his face as Haru looked down. "There is a small private trading vessel. It left before sunrise today."

A cold chill spread over the group. Iroh narrowed his eyes. "You two wouldn't have by any chance see Lady Mai or a young woman, tall, skinny, with black hair and gold eyes, would you?"

Haru nodded carefully. "I saw Lady Mai taking a walk in the city this morning. We ran into each other."

"Where was she going?" Ty Lee asked, nearly running through the group to get to Haru. "Did she say?" The young man shook his head and Ty Lee's face fell.

"So..." Iroh frowned. "She did go with Azula..."

"How do you know she's with Azula?" Toph asked.

"She wanted Mai with her. And whatever Azula wants," Ty Lee explained sadly. "Azula always gets."


A.N. - I think I've dragged this story on too long. I'm sorry, everyone. :( If I ever write another Avatar fic after this one, I promise it will be shorter and less angst ridden. Thank you for sticking it out. :) HUGS!