I don't own Avatar the last airbender just my Oc.

Chapter 13

Liling faced with different types of situations before but none like this. She never thought that someone would try to take advantage of her. The moment that Shi grabbed her, Liling hit him with an object but didn't have much effect so she placed her hands on his shoulders and tried to burn him, earning a loud shout of pain, Shi pushed her back that she knocked over a few plates.

She squeaked as a blast of heat suddenly burst beside her, and quickly rolled over sideways, she felt the stinging sensation on her shoulder, searing pain shot straight through her entire body from the one spot of flayed skin, which was bleeding a little as the skin tingled with blistering heat.

She ducked her head down, biting on her lip to keep any noise from escaping as she saw Shi's shadow loom over her. His face set in a leer as he raised his flaming fist once more.

"Please...stop..." Liling whimpered softly, doing her best to move away as her burnt shoulder ached.

Shi didn't listen. His face was alive with malice as he made to punch another ball of fire at her. Liling raised her hands up in attempt to block it with her bending.

"Someone help!"

Liling felt the blast of heat But then, just before it could even touch her something happened, a hand grabbed at Shi's clenched fist and twisted it hard.

The flame extinguished at once, its disappearing light plunging the room into darkness.

But that didn't seem to stop the person that saved Liling, whoever they were, she could still hear the thuds and crashes as well as Shi's grunts and cries of pain.

Finally after a few horrifying minutes of darkness and shouts there was a loud shout and Liling squeaked in fright as something heavy crashed a few feet away, she kept her distance and grabbed the nearest thing to defend herself in case if whoever is helping her is defeated. A male voice groaned loudly in pain and another thud sound was heard.

A light flickered into one of the person's quickly turned to face who the person that helped her and her eyes widened. There barely about a foot away with a flame dancing in his open palm was someone she didn't expect.

"...Zuko?…" Liling breathed.

Zuko just nodded as he stood there, panting catching his breath. His dark red tunic was ripped completely down the center, exposing most of his sweaty torso, there wasn't a scratch on him except the bruised and bloodied knuckles on both his hands.

Liling opened her mouth to speak but even as she tried to sit up her shoulder stung horribly. She tried to clutch at her wound only to cry out in agony as it seared under her cool touch. She looked around for any water to heal the bruise. Zuko crouched beside her, looking at her closely her pink kimono was ripped to the side revealing more of her slender leg, her hair was messed up from the slight struggle. Liling quickly adjusted her top.

As he leaned over her, she winced and hunched over a little, she glanced at a small puddle of water as she raised her good hand to inspect how bad is the wound. This time Zuko was quick to grab it before she touched it. The fire he was holding vanishing at once.

"Don't touch it!" he hissed into the dark.

"Don't just grab me like that!" Liling hissed back. "I was just checking it!"

Liling patted her hand against his chest as he dragged her up to her feet, with one hand, as the other tried to spark another flame to light the room.

She sat down with a ragged breath in an attempt to calm herself down and Zuko could not help but notice that her face was unnaturally pale, he was used to her soft color, but she looked like a ghost.

He quickly glanced at her shoulder and saw to his horror that there was a fair amount of blood leaking from a slim but deep gash right in the center of the burn.

"How dare he…" Zuko growled softly, his fists clenching tight. "I told him not to go near you."

Zuko looked over the wound and then to Shi's unconscious form on the ground. But even as Zuko he made to rise, Liling quickly grabbed his hand and tugged him back down.

"No don't!"

"Don't what?" He glared down at her as he crouched beside her again.

"Please...Don't hit him again…"Liling said in a whisper." He's out cold and your hurt." She looked down at his bruised hands.

Zuko stared at her dumbfounded.

"What is wrong with you?"

Liling looked up and saw that Zuko was still glaring at her as he breathed.

"He tried to take you by force and you're more worried about someone else's injuries? Why?...Why?" he repeated a little louder, his eyes fierce.

Liling realize that it wasn't anger in those amber eyes, but worry. It was another side of him that she didn't see she felt her cheeks flush a little and dipped down her head to hide her face behind her hair, as she mumbled.

"Because well..i...Guess I'm just too soft and kind..…"Liling mumbled "My father always told me I'm too nice for my own good..."

She trailed off, doing her best not to look as Zuko's eyes flashed. He sucked in a deep breath and stood up.

"Sit still and don't move. I'll be right back" he growled.

Liling glanced down at Shi's unconscious body her guard up in case if he does wake up.

Liling was glad when Zuko came back a few minutes later carrying a large lamp in his black box, with a brightly lit lamp on top in one hand and a bowl filled with cool water in the other.

She couldn't help but smile a little as she saw his face, it was now set back in its usual scowl as he made to sit down beside her.

"What are you so happy about?" he grumbled, giving her burnt shoulder a very heated glare, as he dipped a cloth in water.

Liling wondered why he's suddenly being nice to her, okay yes she's grateful that he came to save her from the creep, she then thought that maybe just maybe there's still a small glimmer of hope that the fire nation can change their ways.

"Hey! Stop daydreaming and patch that wound up!" he added with a sour glare. Liling glared at him and held her good hand up stopping for a moment.

"I got it." Liling mumbled she bended the water out of the bowl coating the water around her palm, Zuko watched as Liling placed her hand on the injury. Liling took a deep breath and the water coated on her injury lightly glowing, after a few seconds the water went back to normal and dripped away from her shoulder. "See?" Her shoulder was almost back to normal, Zuko stared at her shoulder he lightly touch it, feeling her cool skin against his fingers. "In case you didn't know Waterbenders have healing abilities, if it's cuts or burns like this I can try to heal it but I'm not so experienced in it yet...but it does look better."

Zuko's eyes darted down at her.

"Is there any healing ointment?" Liling asked softly.

Zuko searched in the box and took out a small jar, he unscrewed the lip and applied some ointment on her shoulder. Liling lightly hissed but stayed still.

"Just keep applying the ointment every few hours." he muttered, still not meeting her gaze as he made to carefully wrap a clean bandage from the kit he'd brought.

Liling nodded silently, her hand flying up to her temple as she swayed slightly.

"I feel a little faint..."Liling softly spoke.

"Just hold on" he growled as he made to secure the material tight.

"Ah! Hey! Don't be so rough!" Liling hissed

"Just stay quiet!" Zuko snapped "I'm almost done!"

Then just as he was making to apply a second bandage there came a familiar call.

"Prince Zuko? Are you there?"

"Uncle?" Zuko blinked and sure enough in the ruined doorway to the corridor stood His uncle holding onto his large belly and puffing for breath.

"What has been going on down here? I can hear the ruckus all the way from-"he blinked as he saw the unconscious man on the floor. "What on earth is Shi doing on the floor?"

His eyes drifted nephew and Liling. His eyes widen in horror as he looked at Liling's ripped Kimono, her injury and Zuko's bruised knuckles.

"Uncle I can explain-" Zuko gulped but the older man just put up a hand up, his face grave.

"Prince Zuko, go escort Liling to her new quarters."Iroh said "It would be the best choice right now, she is a young lady."

Liling could've sworn that there was a hint of anger coming from the very peaceful man that she knows. Zuko fell silent at once, his eyes darting to the floor nervously as his uncle strode back to the door.

"Go escort her now." Iroh firmly said "I will handle this."

Barely a few seconds later is when Zuko nodded his head and Liling followed Zuko to her new room.

"This is your new room. " Zuko said quietly opening the door.

"Thank you..."Liling whispered she looked down at their hands clasped together and raised an eyebrow. "You can let go of my hand now..."

Zuko frowned slightly in confusion looking down at his hand wrapped around hers, he jerked his hand away from hers and a very light blush appeared in his face. Liling bit her lip trying not to giggle. 'He definitely reminds me of Ru...hehe.' Liling thought

"So..." he trailed off awkwardly.

Liling took his hands seeing the slight bruise on his knuckles, his eyes glanced at the girl wondering what she was going to do.

"Try putting on some lavender it'll help, mash the lavender in a paste then add it in your hands."Liling said inspecting the bruise.

Zuko glanced at Liling looking at her hands holding his, they were small and delicate, a bit soft to the touch he didn't think that her hands would be this soft. Suddenly Iroh coughed loudly, catching up to them, Snapping Zuko back from reality and he quickly but awkwardly retracted his hands from her.

"Liling, I think it would be best if you stay in your room tonight, do not open the door to anyone unless it's me or my nephew and Tomorrow we will stopped by the docks to ship Shi off for his punishment."Iroh said Liling nodded.

"I understand, have a good night Iroh..."Liling said softly giving a soft smile to Iroh and glanced at Zuko. "Goodnight...Zuko."

Iroh grinned cheerfully at the two young benders, once the young girl closed the door he glanced at his nephew. Zuko raised his eye brows realizing something.

"She called me by my name..." he stated

There you guys have it! Please leave a review and tell me what you guys think! Any comments or suggestions Pm me or just leave it in a review!