After approximately half an hour of staring at the ceiling, Katara still had no idea how she could talk to Toph. She bitterly regretted not making everyone learn Morse code, as Toph would be able to sense the vibrations and communicate back.

If I get out of here, I am forcing everyone to take Morse code lessons, Katara thought decisively.

She sat back up, and tried to ignore her stomach screaming for food.

Trying to distract her stomach, Katara looked around the cell. Since Cai had informed them that there were more lanterns, Zuko had found their locations and one by one lit them. This banished almost all darkness from the cell, yet some shadows still lurked threateningly in the corner.

Unfortunately, there really was nothing in the cell that was distracting.

Spiders web, wall, door, another spiders web…hey, wait, that's the same spiders web, Katara thought, uninterested.

She glanced to see what Zuko was doing. He was sitting there, apparently as mind-numbingly bored as she was.

Zuko hadn't eaten his soup either, and Katara wasn't sure if this worried her or not.

Maybe he knows something? Katara thought, suspiciously.

"You haven't eaten your soup." She told Zuko, who looked up from where he was sitting on his mattress.

"Neither have you." He replied slowly, frowning and looking at her as though she had lost her mind.

Katara supposed her statement might have sounded a little odd, especially since it came from out of the blue.

"It hasn't been drugged, you know." Zuko smirked, as if reading her thoughts.

"That's what I thought last time and look how that turned out." Katara muttered, glancing around the cell.

Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes before standing up. Katara watched him, confused, as he strode over to the door and picked up both the bowls in his hands. Walking back to the mattress, he sat down and lay the bowls on the floor in front of Katara.

"What are you doing?" She asked, scowling. Whatever his game as, she didn't like it.

"Proving that you're a neurotic idiot." Zuko replied. "Can I try some of the soup?"

"Knock yourself out." Katara said, unsure of why he was asking her permission. "Do us all a favour." she added under her breath.

Zuko but picked up a bowl, raised it to his lips and drained it. Almost immediately, he pulled a face.

"Poison?" Katara asked frantically.

"Cabbage." Zuko grimaced as he swallowed. "Really watery cabbage."

"Shame." Katara murmured, trying to hide the relief she felt. As much as she hated Zuko for what he had done, he didn't deserve to die like that.

"How can they call that soup?" Zuko asked, starting on what Katara was sure would be a rant. "It had about one percent cabbage, ninety-nine percent water! I've got to tell my sister to treat her prisoners better in the future…"

But Katara had stopped listening.

Ninety-nine percent water? She thought, staring into her bowl of 'soup'. True, even if the majority of the contents of that bowl is water, it wouldn't be enough water to attack anyone with…it's barely enough to feed me, Katara thought, sizing up the bowl. But if I don't eat the soup (or whatever it's supposed to be) and just save the water every time we get brought it, then I might have enough to fight Mai…or whoever else stands in my way.

Zuko was complaining about the quality of the soup they had received, but he knew that the Waterbender wasn't listening. Nevertheless, she made it look like she was; agreeing with everything he said whilst she stared into her bowl of cabbage/water/soup.

"It's bad enough we're prisoners in the first place, but it's just insulting to give us this-" Zuko gestured violently at the bowls, "and call it food!"

"Uh huh." Katara said, her eyes glazed over.

"What, did they just pick this cabbage up from the gutter?" Zuko continued.

"Definitely." Katara agreed, her voice monotone.

Realizing that she would agree with anything he said, Zuko smirked.

This could be fun…

"You know that your hair looks ridiculous in those loops, right?" He asked. In truth, her hair didn't look that bad, but he knew (from past experience) that girls were touchy about their hair.

"Right."

"And I really don't think that blue is your colour. Do you agree?" Zuko said. Again, it was a lie, but it would be fun to see the girl's reaction.

"Absolutely."

"Would you be happy if I told you that I have your mother's necklace?" Zuko asked, getting carried away.

"Yeah…" Katara replied. She looked up sharply. "Wait, what did you say about my mother's necklace?"

Although she hadn't been concentrating on anything Zuko was saying, Katara had caught part of the last line.

"What does the necklace have to do with your dislike for cabbage?" She asked, her voice dangerous.

Why did he say that? Does he know where it is? If he does then Gods help him…Katara thought, glaring at Zuko.

When he didn't answer she stood up, almost sending the bowl flying.

"You took my mother's necklace, didn't you?" She accused furiously.

"What?" Zuko asked indignantly, "Why would I do that?"

"You've done it before!" Katara shouted.

She was tempted to retrieve the water from the soup right now, but knew that she wouldn't have enough if a fight occurred. Instead, she glared at Zuko as the air around him grew warmer.

"I found your necklace and kept it because I thought it would lead me to then Avatar! Which, it did!" He added hotly. "So now, when the Avatar is no where near, why would I take the necklace?"

"Lets see: you're spiteful, you have nothing better to do, you probably take some twisted happiness out of watching me lose the one thing I had left of-" To Katara's surprise (and slight embarrassment) her voice caught on the last words, and couldn't bring herself to say 'my mother'.

To her relief, Zuko didn't notice this (or if he did, he didn't acknowledge it) and sighed in frustration.

"My sister betrayed me, I'm stuck in a dungeon cell, there's barely edible food, and you're here. The Gods must hate me." Zuko spat at her.

"Yeah, well they're not the only ones." Katara shot back.

In a matter of minutes, Zuko and Katara had gone from sitting there in silence to having the desire to rip each others throats out.

"I didn't take your necklace." Zuko said deliberately slowly.

"Like hell." Katara snorted softly.

She knew that Zuko had taken her necklace, but she didn't understand why. Had she done something to annoy him (apart from sharing a cell) in the past few hours? He knew how important the necklace was to Katara, yet he still took it.

"You're always talking about your honour as if its important to you." Katara told him, bringing up what she knew was a sore subject. But she didn't care. Zuko had hurt her by taking something precious to her (on top of repeatedly trying to capture her friend, knocking her out and teaming up with his sister) so she was going to hurt him right back.

Zuko's eyes flashed dangerously and he shot Katara a look that clearly said: Don't go there.

"I mean, that's the whole reason you were trying to capture Aang, right? To get your honour back?" She asked casually.

"Shut up, peasant." Zuko hissed at her.

"You told me about getting your honour back, but actions speak louder that words. And your actions don't add up to your words." Katara carried on, ignoring Zuko's words.

"I'm warning you…"

"You lie and you steal and you always seem to manage to take the path that causes other people pain," She said, raising her voice. "And doesn't sound very honourable to me."

Katara noticed with satisfaction that small tendrils of steam had begun to seep through Zuko's nostrils and the temperature had risen.

Zuko merely stood there, fists clenched and breathing heavily for a few seconds.

Then, suddenly, he moved forward. Out of instinct, Katara stepped back hastily, only to see that Zuko had walked over to the door. With his fist still clenched, he hammered on the door, causing echoes to spread around the cell loudly.

Katara stared at him, wondering briefly if her comments had finally tipped Zuko over the edge.

A sliding part of the door was moved away to reveal a pair of eyes looking in.

"What?" Asked a gruff voice.

"Get Mai." Zuko said, his voice so tense that the eyes blinked in alarm.

"I'm not supposed to-"

"Do it!" Zuko shouted. The guard outside nodded and shut the grate sharply.

For a moment, Katara was fearful. Zuko was extremely angry at her, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself properly if he chose to attack.

But then why would he call for Mai? Katara wondered, staring at Zuko.

"What do you want Mai for?" She asked hesitantly.

Zuko ignored her, and remained standing by the door, his fists slowly unclenching as the minutes passed by.

Eventually, sounds of footsteps could be heard on the corridor, and the metal door was unlocked. Katara saw two burly guards standing behind Mai for protection…not that she needed it.

"What is it?" Mai asked, sighing. "I was in the middle of something."

"The Earthbender. Where is she?" Zuko asked curtly.

Both Mai and Katara raised their eyebrows, not expecting this question.

"Why?" Mai asked, apparently thrown.

She's even showing a little facial expression, Katara noted.

"Let the Earthbender see her friend." Zuko continued, in the same brisk voice.

Mai glanced at Katara in surprise then looked back to Zuko, shaking her head.

"I can't. Azula-"

"Doesn't need to know." Zuko finished for her.

Why is she being difficult? Zuko thought.

"And she won't find out." He told Mai, widening his eyes for an instant in a gesture that told her to play along with his plan. "Trust me." He added extra emphasis on the last two words, hoping Mai would catch his meaning.

Mai nodded slowly, though it was obvious from her expression that she didn't understand.

"As long as she doesn't find out." She repeated. "And as long as you don't try anything." She added, to Zuko and Katara.

Both nodded, Katara looking as confused as Mai had.

Mai turned around to the guards, who grunted and walked into the cell. Each grabbed one of Katara's arms, much to her rage and Zuko's amusement.

"I can walk myself!" Katara yelled at them, struggling to break free from their grasp and failing. Zuko suppressed a smirk.

Serves her right for insulting me, he thought smugly.
"Don't take her into the cell yet, leave her outside until I get there." Mai instructed the guards as they passed her. Each guard nodded, dragging the still struggling Katara with them as they left.

As soon as she was sure they were alone, Mai turned to Zuko.

"What was that about?" She asked, gesturing at the still open door.

"I need to show compassion for Azula's plan to work, right?" Zuko asked.

Mai nodded slowly.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a compassionate person when it comes to the Water Tribe girl. So I figured that if I got her something that she wanted, it would make up for my lack of kind words to her." Zuko explained, feeling pleased with himself at his plan.
"Besides, if she sees her friend then it would get her off my back for awhile." Zuko added.

"Nice plan." Mai commented. "You came up with it in about ten seconds, didn't you?"

Is it that obvious? Zuko wondered, miffed.

"Well, yes." He admitted. "But it was a good ten-second plan don't you think?"

"Definitely." Mai nodded.

Zuko suddenly became aware of the fact that Mai apparently still had a crush on him…and that they were alone in a cell together. Clearing his throat hastily, he walked towards the door and exited, making sure Mai was close behind him. If his plan were to work, then it needed to look like he and Mai were still on different sides.

The guards still had Katara's arms in a vice-like grip, and she waited for them to release her. It wasn't like she had any choice. She had tried struggling, and that didn't work. Short of wasting the little bending material she had, there really was nothing else she could do.

The guards had taken her a little way along the corridor, and remained outside the door, refusing to let Katara go until Mai arrived.

Less than two minutes had gone by when Katara heard what she recognized as Mai's footsteps on the stone floor. Sure enough, Mai approached with a guard and a disgruntled looking Zuko in tow.

Where do these guards keep coming from? The only one I've seen more than once is Cai…Katara thought, slightly disturbed.

"Let her in." Mai sighed, her monotone voice matching her expression.

The guard that had followed Mai nodded and retrieved a key from his belt. Leaning forward, he unlocked the door and pushed it open, its hinges squeaking annoyingly.

Letting go of Katara, the guards roughly pushed her in and stood aside for Mai.

"Katara?" Came Toph's voice, uncertainly.

Katara scrambled up to her feet and ran over to where Toph was sat.

"I'm here." Katara murmured softly. She sat down next to Toph, ignoring the coldness of the floor.

"It's kind of hard to mistake you're footsteps. You're not exactly Twinkle Toes you know." Toph told her scornfully, sounding much more like herself.

"Hey, Airbenders are allowed to be light on their feet." Katara told her, smiling slightly. "Besides, I wanted to see if you were okay, hence the heavy footsteps." Katara paused and examined Toph critically. "You are okay, aren't you?"

"You tell me." Toph replied, and jerked her arms up, and Katara could see that she was chained up.

"Oh my Gods…" she whispered, and whipped around to face Mai.

"You chained her up?" She asked furiously. Out of the corner of her eye, Katara could see Zuko leaning against a wall, looking down on Katara and Toph.

"It wasn't like she wasn't chained up before." Mai shrugged.

"Yes, but this time she's alone!" Katara said angrily. "It isn't like she's going to try anything!"

"Are you sure about that?" Mai asked, glancing at Toph, who shrugged.

"She has a point. If I could then you and me would be the only conscious people in the room, Sugar Queen."

Zuko cleared his throat.

"Sugar Queen?" He repeated, smirking.

"Shut up." Katara spat at him. Not because she was ashamed of her nickname. Sure, it annoyed her, but she figured that nicknames were Toph's way of showing affection.

Either that or she's really mean…Katara thought, preferring the first option.

"Can we not have a little privacy?" Katara asked harshly, directing her question at Mai, who shook her head.

"Whatever." Toph shrugged, then turned to Katara. "Is Iroh with you in your cell?"

Katara looked behind her to Zuko. He raised his eyebrows at her, an annoying smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth. Turning back around slowly, Katara frowned.

"I'm going to have to say no." She said hesitantly. "However I do have the pleasure of being in the company of his equally charming nephew."

Toph laughed meanly.

"Seriously?" She asked, smirking. "I think I'd rather be here by myself than with Scarface."

"I'm standing right here!" Zuko shouted angrily.

Toph turned her blind eyes to him and smiled sweetly.
"I know." She told him. Katara was trying to keep a straight face; Zuko was bound to be mad at this comment for a few hours and her laughing would only make it worse.

"Leave them for ten minutes." Mai instructed suddenly. All eyes settled on her, yet she seemed unperturbed.

"Lady Mai?" One guard asked uncertainly.

"Leave!" She snapped. The guards nodded and grunted (the only two actions they seemed capable of) and left, leaving behind Mai, Zuko, Katara and Toph.

"Aren't you going to leave?" Katara asked standing up and folding her arms.

"Although I'd love to stay, I have other things to do." Mai said and gestured for Zuko to move out of the door ahead of her.

"What are you doing?" Zuko hissed at her as they left. "We could have found out something useful."

"We still can." Mai replied, putting a finger to her lips and nodding towards the slightly ajar door.

"Eavesdrop?" Zuko asked uncertainly. Mai nodded and crouched next to the gap. Shrugging, Zuko joined her.

"Alright, what's up?" Toph asked abruptly, as soon as they were alone.

"What do you mean? Nothing's up." Katara said, albeit a little nervously.

"Save it. I can tell when you're lying remember?" Toph gloated. Katara cursed silently.

"The moment you walked in I could tell something was wrong." Toph continued.

"Was my heartbeat irregular or something?" Katara asked.

"No. You just looked upset." Toph replied, a concerned note entering her voice. Katara immediately felt stupid and nodded.

"So spill. What's up?" Toph asked again. Katara sighed.

"I'm not sure we should be listening…" Zuko began, but trailed off when he heard Katara's next words.

"I had a dream about my mother. About how she died."

A/N:

Hey, I have to get off the computer in literally a minute so I'll make it brief. I'm sorry if this chapter seems rushed, but I'm going to California tomorrow for a week, and really wanted to update before I left. Because of this, I couldn't check it through properly, so if there are any mistakes, that's why. I won't be able to get another chapter up for a week or so, so enjoy this one lol.

Thanks to Shirozora for the soup bending idea and Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja for the Morse code idea :P

Thanks to all for reviewing, you rock, and don't forget to leave a review on your way out:D