DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.
A/N: A couple of my reviewers have been reminding me that Omashu has been taken over by the Fire Nation and is now called New Ozai. Just so it's clear - I know, thanks. It's a part of the story…all will become clear in a few chapters time )
After counting the doors down to the Earthbender's room - and again cursing the lack of numbers on the doors - Zuko took a deep breath before knocking once and opening the door. From what he previously seen and heard of Toph, she wasn't to be taken lightly. He just hoped she didn't already know what had gone on, so he could tell her his side of the story.
"Scarface." Toph greeted coolly. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I take it you heard what happened." Zuko replied, his hopes dashed. She already knew. Which means she already had an opinion. He walked closer into the cell. This cell was a lot smaller, with no mattress and barely enough room to walk around. This didn't seem to be a problem for the young Earthbender anyway, as she was still chained up.
"You could say that." Toph replied, turning her blind eyes on him. "You could also say you're a heartless jerk and I'm looking forward to kicking your ass back to the Fire Nation as soon as I'm out of these chains."
She definitely heard what happened, Zuko determined. Not looking forward to another shouting match with an emotional young woman, he decided to just cut to the chase and explain.
"Listen. I really don't have time for this. You want to kick my ass? Okay. Feel free to do so. But do it after we escape." He told the girl impatiently.
"If Katara doesn't trust you then why should I?" Toph asked, her tone becoming neutral once more. "You hurt her pretty bad."
"I…how do you know?" Zuko asked suspiciously.
"Cai told me and Iroh what you did. I knew she wasn't going to trust you after what you did. Besides, I could feel her pain from all the way down the corridor."
"And by 'feel her pain' you don't mean that in a girly 'friendship' kind of way, do you?" Zuko asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer. As much as he needed to go, he was also curious as to how far Toph's "radar" could reach.
"I mean that in a 'her heart rate was going crazy, she wouldn't stop crying for ages and she stayed sat in the same place without moving for about an hour' kind of way." Toph corrected him.
Zuko stood uncomfortably for a couple of minutes, unsure of what to say. He felt stupid; he should definitely have gone to his uncle's cell first. At least he would be easier to persuade than this Earthbender. Katara sure can pick her friends, Zuko thought sarcastically.
Then a thought struck him and he began to panic.
"Toph…" He started. The girl "looked" up at him and gestured for him to continue when he didn't. "You weren't checking up on Katara during this last week all the time were you?"
A slow, sly smirk spread over Toph's face and Zuko immediately regretted asking the question.
"Occasionally I'd check up on her." She said in a mock-innocent voice that didn't have Zuko fooled. "Just to check she was okay of course."
"Of course." Zuko agreed flatly. Had Toph sensed anything that he didn't want her to know about? Gods, he hoped not. That would be an awkward conversation. Deciding he didn't want to know, he cast around for another subject. However, a tiny dungeon cell wasn't exactly a haven of inspiration.
"I only did it because I thought it would buy us some time." Zuko murmured suddenly, surprising even himself. "I didn't tell Azula where the Avatar was…I told her the wrong information. But by then it was too late. Azula had already said…" Zuko struggled for words, not wanting to tell Toph exactly what had gone on. "Things that no longer apply. The look on her face when Azula started talking…it tore me apart." He whispered the last part. He wasn't looking for sympathy, or even support. He just wanted to let Toph know that he would never hurt her friend.
"What did she say when you came to talk to her before?" Toph asked. Zuko didn't bother asking how Toph knew. He just sighed in irritation, but more at himself than anyone else.
"She kept telling me she didn't trust me anymore." Zuko shook his head. "She told me over and over but I wouldn't listen. I told her we needed to go and she said things that I know I deserved. But I still got angry."
"What did you do?" Toph asked, sighing in a resigned way, as though she expected Zuko to do something rash.
"…pin her against the wall?" Zuko asked in return.
"Bet Sugar Queen took that well." Toph muttered, chuckling darkly.
"I have the painful water marks to prove it." Zuko replied. "Like I said though, I deserved it. The way she looked at me…it's like she didn't even know me anymore."
Glancing up at Toph, he could see her blind eyes turned to him, her brow furrowed. Feeling uncomfortable under her sightless gaze, Zuko looked away. Neither he nor the Earthbending girl said anything for awhile.
"You really like her, don't you?" Toph said quietly, interrupting the silence. Zuko looked up sharply, not replying for a moment or two.
"Don't tell her brother." He said in answer. Then, as an afterthought he added, "Or the Avatar. He'd kill me. He wants Katara for himself."
"I know." Toph murmured sadly, looking down. Zuko was about to question her on this, but shut his mouth.
One problem at a time, he reminded himself.
"So does that mean you believe me?" He asked, boldly in his opinion.
"I can tell when you're lying," Toph reminded him, "but you weren't lying when you said all those things about Katara. So I suppose…yes. I believe you."
Zuko could have hugged her. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and muttered his thanks. Seeing the Earthbender sitting before him in chains made him wonder if he had the key to the lock fastened around her. Cai hadn't told him anything when he handed him the keys, so Zuko would have to figure it out by himself. Sifting noisily through the keys, he assumed Toph had figured out what he was doing. After all, how many other noises like that were there? Separating the keys that looked like they unlocked doors, from the ones that were a different sort of metal (there appeared to be six different in this section), from the ones that he wasn't entirely sure what unlocked, Zuko soon had a selection of keys to choose from.
They don't make escaping easy, do they? He silently grumbled, after trying and failing five different types of keys. Sixth time lucky…he prayed, pushing a bronze coloured key into the lock keeping Toph cell-bound. Holding his breath and turning it, Zuko felt a rush of immense relief when the lock clicked open and fell uselessly to the floor. Ignoring the annoying clattering sound the lock had made upon dropping, Zuko set about unravelling the various chains constricting Toph.
"Took you long enough." She grumbled, shaking Zuko loose and standing up. Her legs wobbled uncertainly and she sat back down almost immediately, wincing. Having not used her legs at all for over a week, they were flimsy and kept collapsing under her every time she tried to stand. Eventually Zuko had to offer her his arm, which she leant on until she got control of her legs once more. And as soon as she had, Toph shoved him off roughly, declaring she didn't need anyone's help.
Rolling his eyes, Zuko pushed open the door and proceeded to lead the way, cautiously glancing around for any Dai Li agents that may be loitering. Toph was walking annoyingly slowly, but Zuko did not dare say anything for fear of starting a shouting match. So instead, he slowed down to Toph's pace and walked along with her.
"Where are we going? To Katara?" Toph asked, having the sense to keep her voice hushed. Zuko shook his head and carried on walking. Toph, grumbling, kept up.
Her legs ached but her pride would not allow her to speak up. Zuko didn't know her like Aang, Sokka and Katara did. If she complained he may have thought her weak. And Toph hated anyone thinking her weak. So she struggled on in silence, looking forward to the moment she could sit down again. Zuko seemed to know his way to wherever it was they were going, so Toph didn't question it. Nor did she question Zuko's intentions. His heart rate had been going as normal when he had been telling Toph why he had told Azula…whatever he had told her. Toph still wasn't too sure on that detail. But she knew that Zuko really liked Katara, and he hadn't been lying about that. Toph listened as intently as she could for any sound, and "looked" out for any sign of movement, but none came from behind the doors. It was as though the dungeons were uninhabited, but the occasional squeak of a rat suggested otherwise.
After two minutes of aimless walking, Toph started to get bored. It was cold down here, she was hungry and it seemed Zuko didn't know where he was going after all. Every so often he abruptly held out a hand to signal for Toph to stop, but of course she couldn't see it and ended up walking into him.
"Can't you just ask me to stop?" Toph hissed, after the third time this had happened.
"I'm trying to keep us safe from Dai Li agents." Zuko replied, beginning to walk again. "Besides, we're nearly there now."
Not having enough energy to argue otherwise, Toph sighed and carried on walking after Zuko. Sure enough, he soon stopped, this time warning her he was about to stop walking in a low tone.
"Thank you." Toph replied sarcastically. "See, that wasn't too hard now was it?"
Zuko pulled the keys from his pocket, and chose what he assumed was the right one. It was the one that had worked on Toph and Katara's doors, so logic said it would work on this door as well. Zuko slid the key into the lock with ease and it clicked open.
Thank you logic, Zuko thought as he pushed open the same type of door that lined the endless corridors.
"Uncle?" He called softly into the cell. "It's me."
Toph walked past him without any acknowledgement and sat down next to a dark shape sitting on the floor. As Zuko's eyes adjusted to the dim light again, he saw this shape was his Uncle.
"Hey Iroh." Toph said casually, lying down and stretching out her legs. "How've you been?"
Zuko shut the door quietly, soon enveloping the small cell in darkness. Once again waiting for his eyes to adjust, Zuko cleared his throat nervously. Would his uncle still be mad at him? Probably.
There came a deep chuckle from the darkness.
"I'm afraid I have been better, Miss Toph." Came Iroh's voice, a little weaker than Zuko was used to remembering, but nonetheless his Uncle's. Comforting and soothing as it had always been.
"What took you all this time, Zuko?" Uncle Iroh continued, speaking to his nephew as though nothing had happened and everything was fine between them. "I expected you sooner than this."
Zuko didn't know what to say. What could he say? He had a feeling: "I would've come sooner but I was too busy taking over the largest nation in the world with my younger sister." wouldn't go down too well.
"I had some things I had to figure out." He replied carefully, choosing his words. "But I'm here now, Uncle, and I'm sor-"
"All has already been forgiven nephew." Iroh interrupted gently.
Zuko looked down, ashamed. No amount of grovelling could make up for what he had done, and he didn't understand his uncle's compassion.
"I don't deserve your forgiveness, Uncle." Zuko muttered, not meeting his uncle's gaze in the dim light.
"Forgiveness is not given because the person deserves it, Zuko. It is given because the person needs it. There is no point in dwelling on the past if you are willing to redeem yourself in the present." Iroh stood up, surprising Zuko who had thought that he, like Toph, had been chained down.
"You are free to make your own choices." Iroh reminded him, walking slowly closer.
"This time, make the right ones." Toph muttered darkly from the floor. Chuckling, Iroh nodded. "Our young friend has a point. I don't wish to rush you Zuko, but I assume we're in a hurry?"
Zuko nodded wordlessly.
"Then choose. If you're truly with us, then be with us. Help us. Otherwise, leave Toph and I here to rot."
"Thanks, Iroh." Toph murmured sarcastically. "Involve me in this, why don't you?"
Zuko didn't have to think about it. He knew the answer. He had known the true answer all along, he'd just gotten a little lost.
"I'm with you." Zuko replied, looking up at last. His uncle beamed and hugged him. Zuko stood there uncomfortably for a few seconds before patting his uncle awkwardly on the back.
"Okay, public displays of affection later." Zuko said, untangling himself.
"It doesn't count when your only public is blind." Toph called out, waving a hand in front of her eyes.
"Speaking of, how is Miss Katara?" Iroh asked, too innocently to be believed.
"She's fine." Zuko replied slowly. "Why do you ask?" He didn't want to get into this right now, it wasn't the right time or place. Unfortunately his uncle didn't seem to think so.
"Cai has a big mouth." Iroh offered as way of explanation.
"Of course he does." Zuko muttered, shaking his head. They really should have gotten a lock that the Dai Li didn't have keys to. Everything would be so much simpler…
"I'm guessing that she isn't best pleased with you right now?" Iroh continued, glancing Zuko up and down critically. Feeling self conscious under his uncle's gaze, Zuko almost turned away.
"Why do you say that?" He asked instead, somewhat suspiciously.
"Well she isn't here, is she?" Iroh asked. "Also, you're really wet."
"We have our good friend Cai to thank for the last part." Zuko spat, his eyes narrowed in dislike. "Who leaves a giant jug of water in the same room as an angry Waterbender?"
"Cai left Katara that water so she could heal you." Iroh reminded him. "And it was probably your fault she was angry in the first place, am I right?"
"How much have you been talking to Cai?" Zuko asked indignantly. Had they shared stories on him? Gods, he hoped not. When Iroh or Toph didn't reply, Zuko shook his head. "Can you blame her for being mad at me?"
"Nope." Toph answered promptly.
"Thanks." Zuko replied, dryly. "But seriously, can you?"
"I was being serious…" Toph murmured, her voice quiet and confused that Zuko hadn't understood her sincerity.
Ignoring her, Zuko turned to his uncle, who slowly shook his head.
"If you show her you are truly sorry then she will forgive you."
"You said forgiveness is given because it is needed." Zuko reminded Uncle Iroh. "And I need it from her."
"I sometimes contradict myself." Iroh smiled at his nephew infuriatingly. "Shouldn't we get going?"
Toph stood up quickly, seeming to have fully regained the use of her legs. She sauntered past Zuko and Iroh and stood before the door expectantly. When no one came to her assistance she cleared her throat.
"I may be the world's greatest Earthbender, but I'm not a miracle worker." She said loudly. Iroh chuckled and stepped forward. However, he didn't open the door, waiting for Zuko to instead.
Sighing, Zuko walked to the door and obliged, unlocking the door and heaving it open. With barely a nod of acknowledgement, Toph walked out of the cell. Uncle Iroh was more well-mannered and said his thanks to Zuko.
Stepping out of the cell himself, Zuko turned around and locked the door. So far, everything had been going well, but that could change in a heartbeat. He couldn't leave any indication that this door had been opened today.
Carefully checking the corridor before proceeding, Zuko gestured for his uncle and Toph to follow, which they did.
"Since when are you the world's greatest Earthbender anyway?" Zuko muttered to the girl walking behind him.
"Since I could bend metal." Toph told him proudly. "Show me a Dai Li agent who can do that!"
Zuko briefly considered making it his life's mission to find such a Dai Li agent, if only to annoy the cocky young girl, but decided against it. By now he had thought through a whole speech of what he was going to say to Katara, but he had a bad feeling that, like last time, it would vanish from his head the moment he saw her.
Zuko, his uncle and Toph walked in silence down the corridor. It seemed Iroh was on alert as well for any dangers, and Zuko was glad. It was easier having Uncle around, even if he didn't like to admit it to himself.
"This is it." He muttered, stopping outside of Katara's cell door. Pulling the keys from a pocket, Zuko quickly found the one he needed and pushed it into the lock. However, the key was met with something hard blocking the keyhole, and the key wouldn't push through.
"She's blocked the keyhole." Zuko murmured, more to himself that to Iroh or Toph. "She's iced it over."
"She blocked the keyhole using ice?" Toph repeated, unsure of what she was hearing.
"Yes." Zuko replied, gritting his teeth and still trying to push the key through.
"She froze over the keyhole?" Toph asked.
"Yes." Zuko told her.
"Let me get this straight: she placed water in the keyhole and froze the water so it became ice and now you can't get the key through?" Toph asked, slowly.
"How many times, yes!" Zuko snapped, losing his patience.
"Do you need me to spell it out?" Toph spat at him angrily. "She froze the keyhole…you're a Firebender! Do you remember what happens when fire meets ice?"
"It melts." Iroh murmured. "Good thinking Miss Toph."
"I thought so." Toph shrugged, as though she didn't know the meaning of the word "modesty".
Ignoring the people at his ear, Zuko concentrated on making his hand warmer. There was no way he could melt the ice directly, so would have to heat up the whole of the lock and hope for the best. Placing his hand over the keyhole, Zuko felt the warmth from his hand flow into the lock and soon moisture dripped over his palm. Drawing his hand away, Zuko placed the key in the lock once more and turned it quickly, just in case Katara froze the lock again.
The lock clicked and the door was pushed open.
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Zuko walked in first, closely followed by Toph and Iroh. Katara looked up from where she had been sitting and her eyes immediately widened. She scrambled to a standing upright position and stared at Toph and Iroh, as though she weren't sure if they were really there.
A few seconds passed and it was as though the scene had been frozen. Nobody moved, nobody spoke, and it seemed like nobody breathed. Then Katara broke the spell and strode forward, throwing her arms around Toph and pulling her close.
Toph didn't mind this much until Katara started squeezing.
"Okay." Toph said, patting Katara on the back. "Okay, I missed you too."
When Katara didn't let go, Toph began to poke her.
"I get it, you're glad to see me. But breathing is becoming an issue." She said, beginning to feel crushed by Katara's grip. Katara immediately let go and drew back. She had tears sparkling in her eyes and she looked her young friend up and down.
"Are you okay?" Katara asked, her voice catching. "Why are you here?" She turned around to see Zuko and Iroh standing there. "Hey Iroh." She completely ignored Zuko.
"Hello Miss Katara." Iroh said, smiling. He too had noticed this young woman's obvious blank of his nephew, but frankly thought that he deserved it for being so stupid in the first place.
"I'm fine, Iroh's fine. We're here because Zuko brought us." Toph said jerking her head towards where she could sense Zuko and Iroh were stood.
"I gathered." Katara replied icily. "I meant, why did Zuko bring you here?"
"He told me what happened, Katara." Toph said quietly. "And he wasn't lying."
"Are you sure?" Katara asked. Her tone was calm, but it had a dangerous undercurrent.
"Of course I'm sure." Toph snapped, forgetting to use her soothing voice. Well, forgetting to try to use her soothing voice. If she even had one.
"He told you everything?" Katara asked. "And you believe him?"
Toph nodded. "He wasn't lying. I know it."
Zuko ignored the fact that the girls were speaking about him like he wasn't even there, and concentrated instead on Katara. Her eyes were still shining sadly, but now her face was grim. It hurt him that she didn't trust in him, but knew what Uncle had said was true. She would forgive him eventually. She'd have to.
There was more silence, as Katara mulled Toph's words over. Finally, she nodded, albeit dejectedly.
"So what's the plan then?" Toph asked, breaking the silence. Even though she could not see her friend, Toph knew that Katara had caved in. She was just too weak right now not too.
Katara turned to Zuko, but kept her eyes off his face. Instead, she kept her gaze firmly on his shoulder.
"Azula is leaving tonight. All I need to do is find Cai, and he'll tell us his plan for escape. Then we follow it."
There was a short pause.
"So…your plan is actually Cai's plan?" Toph asked, unimpressed.
"I had an hour to think of a master plan, did you really think I could think of something in that amount of time?" Zuko retaliated.
"You can usually come up with plans in the space of five seconds." Katara said, to Zuko's shoulder. "Then again, they aren't exactly genius."
Iroh flicked his eyes to his nephew, to see how he would react to this barb. Surprisingly, he did nothing. However, his voice told of his true feelings.
"Which is why," Zuko said, his tone forced into one of calm, "I'm using Cai's. He's had over a week to think of a good plan. All I need to do is find Cai and make sure he stays with you until we're ready. Azula is calling for me in approximately two hours, so I need to be in my room for that. Until then I can stay down here."
"Or you can go to your room in case Azula comes early." Katara suggested lightly.
"Miss Katara may have a point." Iroh voiced, cutting off any reply his nephew may have been forming. "Azula is probably expecting something like this."
"So it's settled." Katara said quickly, once again stopping Zuko's attempt to speak. "We'll stay here until Cai comes to find us, then we'll meet with Zuko."
"Fine." Toph said. "But what do we do until then?"
For once, everything was silent. Zuko saw this as his opportunity, but for once couldn't speak. Instead, he looked at Katara, willing for her to look back.
But she turned away again, back towards Toph.
"There are mattresses in here. You and Iroh should lie down."
"Excellent suggestion." Iroh nodded, walking over to his nephew's mattress and sitting down. Toph began to do the same, but stopped shortly afterwards.
"Left." Katara called absently to her blind friend. Toph nodded and slowly walked left, until she had reached Katara's mattress. Smiling, Toph lay down and closed her eyes. Iroh soon followed suit, his eyes shutting lazily.
That left Zuko and Katara standing there in silence. Finally Katara looked Zuko in the eyes, but her expression was cold.
"Can you arrange for some water to be sent down here? I might need reinforcements in case something goes wrong."
"I'm not going to turn on you if that's what you think." Zuko told her softly, wondering how many more times he would have to say this.
"I meant in case we ran into any Dai Li agents." Katara corrected him, her voice a little softer. "I know you wouldn't turn on us."
Zuko felt an absurdly hopeful feeling clutch his heart. Katara trusts me again? That didn't take long…but I'm glad she isn't mad at me anymore.
"So, do you trust me now?" Zuko asked, if only to confirm his hopes.
"I trust Toph." Katara told him, looking away. "She says you won't betray us, then I believe her."
Zuko quickly felt stupid, and looked away also. There was another silence.
"I'll send the water down." Zuko said finally, making for the door. "Do you need anything else?"
He made the mistake of glancing back. Katara was looking at him, her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow and pain. Zuko held her gaze, not saying anything. Nothing needed to be said.
"Just don't let me down." Katara whispered. Zuko nodded, and opened the door. Hesitating only for a moment, he left.
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A/N:
Eh, think I'll rewrite this chapter if I can. Just so you know, Katara hasn't forgiven Zuko yet. She's just going to give him one more chance. Sorry I was slow updating. We had our first exam this week, followed by seven more next week. So I'll try hard to update next week, but if I can't them blame the exams lol.
The Diamond in the Rough drew a brilliant chapter art for my birthday awhile back, and I was so proud I felt the need to give you all the link:
http:// www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 52818076/
Diamond and I found out the hard way that you can't post links in PM's, so I put spaces in the link just in case it doesn't work here either lol.
Many thanks to Diamond for doing it, you rock :D
Also thanks for the reviews, especially Shirozora's. Let me just say Shirozora, that I hope you're having a better week this week, and I hope your cousin is okay.
Please leave a review on your way out everybody, thanks:D