2/18/07
So I had an interesting dream last night (more like this morning, since I didn't go to bed till 5 AM, My new mangas got my all hyper and I couldn't sleep. :D). I was a water-bender living in this big port where all sorts of ships and stuff came in, it was huge and all industrialized and stuff. Then Zuko came and started setting things on fire, but I couldn't do anything since I hadn't mastered water-bending yet. Then this big water monster thingy came, and, instead of helping, started trashing the place. Well, Zuko got away and then Aang and Katara and this old lady who called herself my Great Aunt and was apparently a Water-bending master came along and, instead of helping fix up the Harbor or putting out the fires, they took me to this big waterfall and mystical spring to teach me water-bending. So I was there in this spring thingy practicing and trying really hard to make the water come up and stuff, and there was this big sunken treasure box thingy, so I was trying to open it with this little twisty I made with water. Then I woke up.
I have really odd dreams sometimes. Like the flying dreams where I can't fly, and everybody else can. It's really pitiful…I wish I could actually DO things in my dreams…
Yeah anyways, just felt like sharing that. Wow finally, Chapter 3 huh? I don't think this is gunna be a good chappy honestly; it's probably gunna turn out more as a filler sort of deal, but I dunno yet. Why? Well I haven't written it yet; I was busying telling you about my amazingly stupid dream. So well, let's get on with this thing shall we?
Btw, I'd like to thank ya guys who reviewed the 1st 2 chapters, some of you actually reviewed both chapters, and it made me extremely happy ne:D So I'll keep up with the chapters, if ya keep on giving reviews, reviews are pretty much the only thing keeping my from just dropping this story all together, well that and getting to tell you guys about random goings in my life.
So here we go!

-Ch. 3 Trouble-

What to do, what to do, what to do?...

Zuko was again seated at one end of the room, staring off into its darkness and listening to the deafening ring going on in his ears.

It was hard to think, everything was too quiet. He really felt like expressing his horrid rage about now, but he was too tired and hungry too. The best he could do was sit in his corner and think think think. But what exactly was he suppose to be thinking about? How to escape? After everything he'd tried so far, it seemed damn near impossible to get out of here. What about what to do with the Avatar? Well he couldn't do much about that, after all…

He was dying.

Well, he couldn't say dying exactly. More like sick to the point where when the rare occasion would come where he DID wake up, he would cough and groan and sometimes cry, before passing out once again. And what was Zuko to do with him? Wake him up so he could beat the shit outta him again? If they were both captured, it didn't make sense to say HE'D captured the Avatar. But what would happen if his enemy died here in this room? If Zuko could eventually escape here, what would he do with himself? What would he do when the Avatar's friends came and accused him of killing him? It seemed that whatever happened to him…

Would have great affect on Zuko.

But even if he helped the Avatar, how could he? The boy was sick, he had no medicines or herbs or anything like that, and even if a guard came by, it wasn't like they would help.

Zuko shifted his weight and then stood up, his legs were numb, then started hurting with tiny needles of pain, his back felt sore, and his stomach wrenched and twisted from not having eaten in what he assumed a week or more. None the less, he walked over and crotched down to where he could make out the shape of the young Air-bender beneath him. He reached out slowly, touching his forehead, the moving down to his neck and then to his hands. He had a fever, a fairly high one, but the rest of his body was freezing. Zuko thought of what he may be able to do…when an idea stuck him. But was it worth the risk? What if it didn't help at all and just made a big mess?

Oh well, worth a shot.

Zuko stood and snapped his fingers, causing a small flame to come from them and sit in his hand; he used the small source of light to search around the room for anything, anything at all that could be flammable. His eyes finally caught sight of some small pieces and bits of grass and sticks lying scattered about the dirty floor. He then went about gathering them all into a pile with his foot until he had finally gotten majority of it all in the center of the room. Once satisfied he doubled check to make sure it was somewhat safe, and then lit the tiny pile on fire, the dried bits of earth and twig catching quickly and erupting before setting down to a dull roar of a flame. For Zuko, if was good enough.

This gave him the chance to look about the room in better detail. He hadn't realized till this point just how small the iron-chamber was. There was a layer of dust and dirt over everything, with all sorts of dirty hand prints, black smears, and scratches about the walls, as though the previous occupants of the room very much so didn't want to be in here, or didn't want to leave to something worse. Looking to the door, he saw a smaller one at the bottom of it, it looked like something the guards would use to shove things under for the prisoners, the top of the door he already knew had a small window with heavy bars over it, and he also noticed that there seemed to be no lock or key hole or anything on this side of the door that could show getting out of the room.

He walked over to the door and placed both hands on it, he knocked on it, pushed at it from top and bottom and sides, pulled at it from the bars, anything he could think of to indicate that the door COULD be opened. He found nothing; it was just as solid as the other walls around him. Sighing, he punched the door hard, pain shooting into his hand before sliding back down to the floor.

Well THAT did a lot of good…

Already the fire was dying down; he scooted over closer to the Avatar, who hadn't moved from lying on the floor in quite some time. Again, he touched the younger's forehead and neck, still had a temper, but the fire was starting to warm him up a bit.

Zuko thought to himself "Why? Why should I really care about what happens to him? Can't go back home anyways, Avatar or no Avatar. I don't care if his friends worry, why do I want to keep him alive?

…is it…is it because if he died…I'd be alone? Am I…scared…to be alone?"

Zuko stared down at that face, which he had been searching for years, found, and then started this whole game of cat and mouse with, chasing and escaping again and again. Even after the Fire Nation had officially banished him and Uncle, he continued to look for that face everywhere he went, and when he found it again, wound up here. He wondered to himself as he continued staring down at the small boyish face, pale and cold and dirty.

He wondered to himself, "Was it all worth it?"

His thoughts were interrupted once he heard that tiny groan come again from the Air-bender. He immediately took his hand away and scooted back, and sat against the wall, acting like he'd been sitting there the whole time. Aang moved slightly, before sitting up and putting a hand to his head, wincing at his ever present headache. Though he didn't feel as cold as he once did, the rest of him still feel stiff and sore for sleeping on the metal floor, and his stomach hurt horribly from not eating anything. He held his poor stomach and looked down, that's when he noticed…

He could see the floor…

He looked about the room, rubbing his eyes and trying to think back to the last time he was awake, which was pretty hazily since he would fall in and out of consciousness fairly quickly. His eyes fell onto the fire-bender sitting near him, like before, the shadows from the small fire he had created flicking on and off parts of his face, hiding away the scar over his eye in its darkness.

Aang felt the need to say something, he opened his mouth but no words came out, so he closed it up again. He tried to think of what it was he wanted to say, but he didn't know how to word it. His mouth and throat felt dry, he tried licking his lips and wetting his tongue. Still, nothing, just a small "Uuuh" and nothing more. The two sat there for a long time, neither one saying anything nor moving. Zuko had his eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. Aang contemplated wither he might as well just try going back to sleep or not, when finally, the older teen said something that made Aang jump.

"So…how are you feeling?"

It wasn't that the statement itself startled Aang, well, if was an odd question coming from Zuko, but more of the awkward silence being broken after what felt a long time that made him jump. That's when the thought finally entered Aang's head.

"Wait was he…was he actually worried about me?"

Aang shook his head, no, that couldn't be it. Zuko only cared for himself and no one else. Why would he ever show concern for him? After all, last he checked, Zuko pretty much hated him.

"Well?..."

Oh right, he was supposed to be talking. He coughed a little, and tried to speak, the words coming out of his throat dry and shaky from lack of use. "I'm…ok…h-how long have I…be-been out?"

Zuko's response came monotone, showing no real emotion or concern like Aang had first thought, maybe he just felt like talking Aang decided. "Dunno, it's hard to keep track of time, but for awhile now I guess…"

"Oh..."

More awkward silence, maybe Aang was wrong, Zuko wasn't in a talkative mood. Then again, when was he ever? They were enemies, not like they sat around drinking tea talking about the weather all the time.

Aang couldn't really take this silence; he feared he may end up passing out again without even knowing it. "So…What are we going to do?" His voice was starting to come out less shaky and hoarse now.

"I don't know…"

"Well…" Aang tried to think, "Has anyone…anyone showed up and told us anything since we've been here?"

"No."

"So we've just been in here for who knows how long for no apparent reason?"

"Guess so."

"…You don't really wanna talk to me huh?"

"Not really, but I have nothing better to do…"

Aha! So Aang was right, he wasn't concerned, just bored. He stuck out his lower lip, eyebrows draw together in thought, "Hmm…well…" Well, he had nothing. But then again, Zuko wasn't really helping much either. He stood up slowly, wobbling a bit and head pounding in warning.

"You shouldn't stand…"

"Why not?" Aang leaned against the wall behind him, shutting his eyes, his ears had started ringing but his head was starting to slow down in its hammering.

"Because your sick and you're just going to make yourself sicker."

"Well why do you care?" Aang snapped, opening his eyes to glare at Zuko, who was still sitting on the floor.

The fire-bender opened his eyes, meeting yellow orbs to brown, making Aang regret snapping at the older teen. He really started regretting it when Zuko uncrossed his arms, stood up, and walked over to him. Aang pressed himself closer to the wall and attempted to back away, when a hand met near his head and Zuko loomed over him, yellow eyes glowing in the little light that still burned from the center of the room.

"Listen Avatar-"

"Aang."

"What?"

"Stop calling me Avatar, it gets annoying. Call me by my name." Although he knew he was just getting himself into deeper shit, he couldn't help it. It WAS getting annoying after all.

"Fine," He growled out "Aang, for your information I don't give a damn what happens to you, but if we're going to be stuck in this hellhole together, I'd rather have someone, no matter how much I hate them, then nobody to help me think of a way out of here. You're sick, and if you're not careful, you WILL die. I think you and I both know you're not ready for that…"

Well ok, he had a point. Aang wasn't too fond of the whole death thing. "So then what should we do?" Aang wondered just how many times he'd ask that since they'd been here.

Zuko moved closer to him, pinning him to the wall with nowhere to go to. Aang avoided looking into those cold eyes that sometimes haunted his dreams; he looked to the side, although he still felt the cold glare stinging his face.

"I-"

Thud! Cleeeeek, bang!

Both boys looked to the small window in the door, Zuko recognized the sound as the huge door at the end of the hallway opening, and as the last of the embers of their small fire faded away, dim green light poured into the hallway and through the barred door.

They froze, holding their breath as they hear footsteps coming closer and closer to them, by the sounds of it, there was more then one this time, the sound of heavy boots echoed through the hall until it stopped. There was a click sound, another bang, very very close to them.

Then, they saw the cell door open, the dim green light pouring into the barren room. Three figures silhouetted by the light stood in the doorway while Aang and Zuko started wide-eyed at them.

"You are to come with us; our leader has some questions he'd like to ask you." The middle man said in a deep cold voice, dark eyes from under his hat, piercing and hard as the voice that came with it.

That's when the two boys realized, things just got a lot worse…

Ooooooooooh this turned from being a filler to an actually chappy huh? In case you didn't notice, I added a microscopic tiny itty bitty bit of fluff and randomness in there. Some of the parts I started getting bored, but I resisted adding the word "eye boogers" in there. SO BE PROUD OF ME! :D
But yes, I had to add a few fluffy and random funny parts in there, too much serious turns me into the blah-nasty-horrible-monster-ghoul, and it's no fun if it's just completely boring and serious ne?
So that's it for Chapter 3, I'm sorry if some of the information in here is wrong, I have a small brain that can only hold so much information. That's why I need you, the reviewers, help for the next chapter! D:
I need to know how to spell "Di-lee" right, need better description of their uniforms, and what that one guy with the braid who tried to overthrow the king and captured Appa's name was. Cuz I'm stupid and forget these important things. –Gets rotten veggies and fire balls thrown at her- I'MMA SORREH! D:
So if you lovely peeps could help me out with that, I can try to get the ball rollin' for the next chapter. Till then, hope you enjoyed this chapter, see ya next time:3
Bunny out! Peace:O
(Omg just realized this was about 6 pages long, pretty amazing huh:D)